Clarity
by rumpelstiltskinsmagic
Summary: Emma can't fight the way she feels anymore and gives in to Hook on the first night aboard the Jolly Roger. From there, they enter in a relationship with no labels and try to figure out how to make it work when Storybrooke is where Emma needs to be, and the sea keeps calling to the pirate.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note: This has been written by myself and a friend, and we go back and forth with her as one character and myself as another. I will try to make it flow better for the sake of a story, without changing any of what either of us have written, but just keep in mind that it wasn't written to read like a book where you get more than one perspective in the same paragraph. If she happens to come across this (because I don't think she gets on here, but who knows!) I'd be happy to add her username. There's plenty more than this, but for the sake of how long it will get, I just tried to find places to stop, and the next chapter will pick up right where the previous left off. And as always, I don't own these characters.**

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_High dive into frozen waves where the past comes back to life_  
_Fight fear for the selfish pain, it was worth it every time_  
_Hold still right before we crash 'cause we both know how this ends_  
_A clock ticks 'til it breaks your glass, and I drown in you again_

_'Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't need_  
_Chasing relentlessly, still fight, and I don't know why_

_If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?_  
_If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?_

Gods above, this ranked as potentially the _worst_ day of Killian's life - well, one of them. Strange for a man to think of, when he lived his life for one purpose and one purpose alone - revenge. Everything else was dusty, all his memories, even his recollections of Milah. The only thing he knew was that day, where she died in his arms and he was forced to watch the life drain from her eyes. From then on, it was nothing but emptiness and vengeance he believed to be best served cold. Or with a side of poison.

That all changed when he discovered, first off, that Baelfire was Henry's father and that Henry was missing. Baelfire, whom Hook had loved liked a son, and who had a connection to Emma that he couldn't exactly compete with. Even if they did understand each other better than most. Even if he felt he knew her, that he saw himself and so many traits reflected back within her, whenever he looked at her too. He had come back to Storybrooke with the bean because of Baelfire, wanting to do right by him, and also because of Emma. The journey with Rumpelstiltskin tagging along, Killian hadn't expected. But perhaps he was finally growing up, and giving up on that quest for revenge.

When they fell into Neverland through the portal, and into a raging storm, he did everything he could to sail them through it. Hook knew he could too - the Jolly Roger, she had been with him through many storms before. Her wood was enchanted; he had always described her as quite a marvel. It was difficult to do it all without his usual crew, but he made do - he dropped the sails, changed the position of the rudder, and even dropped the sea anchor to slow them to a drag and to ensure the ship was moving with the wind rather than against it. When he did all he could do, he went back to the captain's cabin to dry off - now there was nothing left, except to wait it out. And hope that they could weather through after all.

But, oh, where was Swan? Hopefully not still up on deck.

Emma had had quite the day. From thinking she was going to die to worrying about protecting Henry to now finding herself on a ship to Neverland, a place that not too long ago she had thought only existed in a story. But she had to do it for Henry. He was out there somewhere with Greg and Tamara, and she intended to do everything in her power to get him back. First Neal, and now Henry. She was still kicking herself for letting him get taken. She went over and over what happened in her head, and she couldn't believe that they were able to slip him away without anyone noticing. How could she not have noticed? It tore her up inside, and she made her way under the deck to be alone with her thoughts when the storm started brewing.

_If she wants to die for us, I say let her.  
You and I, we understand each other. Look out for yourself, and you'll never get hurt, right?  
Worked quite well for me.  
Yeah, until the day that it doesn't._

Emma had a connection with Hook that she wished she didn't. They understood each other, and it seemed that they had both had a change of heart for the sake of Henry. Her when he came into her life and changed it forever, and him when he found out who Henry's father was.

_His father? Who's Henry's father?  
Neal.  
Baelfire?  
Yeah._

At the time, Emma hadn't been able to think about the look on Hook's face when he came to that realization. She'd been too focused on executing their plan. But now that she was alone and was letting her mind replay the events of that day, she could try and figure out what it meant. Had that been the reason that he changed his mind? She was grateful to Hook for coming back. He did the right thing, which she had not been expecting.

_I thought you didn't care about anyone but yourself?  
Maybe I just needed reminding that I could._

The whole thing was crazy, and she was pacing back and forth repeatedly, looking determined even though there was absolutely nothing she could do until they were off of the ship.

Think of the devil and she appears. Emma's pacing was distracting, but at least Killian found her below deck where she belonged. A rustle of leather as he approached, trekking along on well-worn boots, and she was met with the arch of an eyebrow and curious eyes that glittered like lapis lazuli, rare gemstones. "You might want to find somewhere else to do that, Swan," he remarked, coming to stand by her, his hand outstretched to allow him to prop up against the wall.

Emma turned and rolled her eyes when Hook appeared. Of course that had to happen eventually. She was on his ship after all. "It's not like this is a cruise ship, Hook." Not to mention, she didn't want to risk running into Regina or Rumpelstiltskin. Or her parents.

"You're anxious, I suppose." Killian supposed he couldn't blame her - there was nothing about this day that was soothing to fragile nerves. "Well, come on, then. Shall we have a talk? My cabin's just up ahead."

They probably needed to talk, didn't they? To hell with the rest of the dysfunctional crew; right now, he was only concerned for _her_.

Emma just wasn't in the mood for conversation, though it seemed like Hook was.

"Have a talk? Why?" It was a pointless question considering that Emma was following Hook before she even asked it. "What is there to talk about?"

He tossed her an incredulous look - because wasn't she the one pacing back and forth while a storm rocked the boat? Maybe Emma was seasick; she came from a world where the main method of travel were automobiles. And oh, how Hook _hated_ those wretched things. "Well, for one thing, what you'd like to do once we land," he pointed out - meaning, the plan of attack when it came to getting Henry back. Ideally, they needed one. As powerful as Rumpelfucker and Regina were, Killian didn't think throwing them in as loose canons was a good idea.

But there were also more important matters to attend to. "For another...I want to know what happened to Baelfire." Emma mentioned he was gone, but didn't offer anything beyond that.

Emma wasn't seasick, at least not yet. She wasn't even sure if she got seasick, honestly. There was too much on her mind. "I don't know. I feel like my parents...I mean Mary Margaret and David...will have an idea. They're trying to make up for the last twenty-eight years, and I don't know what else to do but let them." She hadn't wanted to trust them and go with their idea to save the town, but everyone fell behind them, and she realized that she had to, too. Even though they didn't have the bean, it worked out for the best, and Emma realized that they were right - taking the hard way was how it worked in their family.

When Hook asked what happened to Baelfire, Emma once again gave him a look. "Neal? Why do you care what happened to Neal?" She could have just threw out what her assumption was, but she wanted to hear it from him. If he told her why he cared, she would tell him what she saw.

Forgive Killian for appearing to be a little..._incredulous_. "An idea, from your parents, that involves what?" he asked, skepticism coloring his tone. "No, let me guess, something that involves true love." Yes, _true love_! The solver of each and every problem. Charming and his bride were the poster children for such an excellent cure-all, to all of life's ailments.

He shook his head, deciding he'd find out more about that later. Right now, he was sopping wet and in need of a dry room, so he just motioned forward, beckoning Emma along. The captain's cabin where he led her was just as he had left it - sort of - all grandiose scrolled oak wood furniture, just as reminiscent out of something from a Flemish painting from the 1700s. A grand view of the churning sea from the tall windows, swords mounted on the walls, a bed with a wooden canopy, a plush red velvet chair by a writing desk with ink and quill atop along with plundered treasure from the pirate crew, ready to be sorted.

Of course, it wouldn't be the _smoothest_ ride but it was better than before and Hook would see them all through the storm.

"I've met Baelfire before," he said as he removed his leather jacket before finding a makeshift towel, absorbent cotton. "Oh, and do get comfortable, my dear. Wherever you see fit."

Emma rolled her eyes at the comment concerning her parents. Yes, they lived up to the ideal fairytale character that every kid learned about growing up, and she knew that if she had grown up with them, she would be exactly the same. Growing up the way she had, though, had planted some skepticism in her own character, and she was working toward letting that go.

She followed Hook into his cabin, even though she wasn't so sure it was the best idea. She wanted to know what he had to say concerning Neal, who she still couldn't call Baelfire. He may be gone now, but if he was important to Hook, then she wanted to know about it. They could talk about it, and she could feel like she knew more about the man she loved.

"Wow, you went all out, huh?" As Emma looked around more, it looked like a mix between a hotel suite and a Pirates of the Caribbean movie, what with all the swords and nice wood furniture. She turned around when Hook said that he'd met Baelfire before. "I'm comfortable right here. How did you meet him?" She was slightly angry that Neal never told her himself how he knew Hook, but there was nothing she could do about that now. Hook was her only source of information.

"Only the best - she's my home, you know. The Jolly Roger," Hook added for clarification purposes, lest Emma throw some crack at him about how he must have been referring to a random bar wench or an innkeeper's daughter he seduced after he sailed into port. He strode to the window to take a look outside, rain pelting the ship still, and then turned back to watch Emma, a squint of his eyes in consideration.

How to explain this? _How_? "The Shadow brought him to Neverland, and I rescued him from the water. I taught him how to sail and...we...I wanted him to stay on the ship, with me. Become a part of my family, with the rest of the crew - he's got an affinity for sea life, Emma, it was really quite incredible." Spoken like any proud parent, about their child. Hook had looked at Baelfire as a son, in a way, because of who he was and what they had in common but also because he was Milah's. And through her, Killian had loved Baelfire too.

"But we had a falling out, had to do with that fu - with his father, of course. I would never want anything to happen to him though, you must understand." He closed the distance between them and lightly, his hand brushed Emma's cheek, thumb caressing the bone thoughtfully, and he continued on to tuck back bits of blonde hair. "I'm sorry he's gone."

"The shadow?" Emma questioned. The story she knew talked only of Peter Pan and his shadow, but that wasn't exactly the way it really worked. "You rescued Neal and he lived on this ship?" There was a slight look of surprise on her face as she thought about New York and Hook being there outside Neal's apartment. She could tell by the look on his face that Hook cared about Neal, and it kind of threw her a bit to see that. "Then what happened? Did you leave him somewhere?" If they'd had a fight, and Neal left, she wanted to know where he went. Unfortunately, those details weren't going to be cleared up by anyone but Neal himself.

When Hook touched her face, Emma let him for a moment before she backed away slightly, looking down at the ground instead of into his eyes. "He's gone because..." She swallowed and then continued. "When we went after Tamara, she shot him and then opened a portal. Neal...fell through it. I tried to save him, but I couldn't. He let go. I don't know where he is, but he couldn't have survived with that wound." It hurt to think about. "I should have been able to save him," she said quietly, more to herself than to Hook who she still hadn't been able to look at again just yet. But now he knew what he had wanted to know.

"The Shadow comes out at night, obviously, and he looks for young boys." Hook realized it sounded creepy as hell, but that was the situation - what he wanted with Bae, he didn't know, but losing Milah's son was one of the worst things that had ever happened to Killian. "He...well, he found Baelfire." Killian began pacing a bit, not wanting to discuss _how_ exactly that had occurred. "I lost him. Because of the fight, because he wanted off the ship...I didn't..."

There was no sense in re-hashing it. What mattered was eventually getting Baelfire back, because Killian refused to believe that he was dead. "If he fell into the Enchanted Forest, someone might find him...they can bring him to Lake Nostos," he said, stopping to look at Emma, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "You did what you could do, Swan. Knowing Baelfire, he probably let go to save _you_, in a way." And thus there was no helping, there was no stopping him.

"Yeah, but what if he didn't go to the Enchanted Forrest? He could be anywhere." Emma wanted to believe that there was a chance that Neal survived. That he was somewhere safe and being taken care of. But her experience with portals kept her from being too hopeful. "I just wish Henry didn't have to go through this. He just found out who his father was, and now he's been taken away from him. It's not fair." She wanted to say that it wasn't fair that Neal was taken away from her as well, but she refrained. "And now Henry's gone, too." Emma had done enough crying over the past couple of days, and she was doing her best to hold back the tears now. She didn't want to cry in front of Hook. "We have to get Henry back," she said firmly, finally staring back at Hook and taking a step toward him to close the space she'd made when she pulled away from his hand.

Of course, Killian knew that Bae could be anywhere too - hell, he could have fallen into the Land Without Color for all they knew. But the pirate still wanted to believe that _someone_ would come to Bae's aid, before the bullet wound did him in. "I know, Emma," Killian responded - using her name, for once, as opposed to something endearing or just simply her surname. "We'll find Henry. He's here, with the Lost Boys, but we'll get him back."

When she closed the distance between them, he stepped in too and reached for her - tentatively, his hand went to grip her waist, because he wanted to pull her even closer still. "I came back because of you," he felt the need to tell her. And Baelfire, wanting to do right by him - but a lot of it was Emma, admittedly.

Emma blinked when Hook used her first name. She couldn't remember him actually calling her that before. The fact that he was so sure they would find Henry somehow comforted her and made her feel a little better. She was still incredibly anxious, but she knew Hook was an asset, and to have him on their side was a good thing.

When he first touched her hip, Emma's instinct was to pull away, but all she did was flinch before catching herself. She didn't feel the need to pull away this time like she had before. "You came back because of me? Why would you come back for me?" she asked, not asking in a sarcastic tone that she may have used before, but in an honestly curious tone. When he'd taken off with the bean, she was sure they'd seen the last of him for a while. She'd seen a good side of him that she hadn't seen before, and it was starting to melt the ice between them.

"I don't know," Killian replied, deep blue eyes sweeping up and down her form, studying her, as his hand slid around to the small of her back. Maybe he couldn't explain _exactly_ why he had come back, because of her, but he _had_ - and right now, to him, she was like a lighthouse beacon shining across dark water. He wanted Emma nearer. "Because I don't care about _just_ myself."

It was something she had accused him of and before, she wouldn't have been wrong. Killian's quest for revenge was very much a one-man deal and it didn't matter to him who got in the way, he'd just run them over too. But that wasn't all of who he was. Emma was just the person who had reminded him...well, and Baelfire. But he had lost Baelfire. Hook wouldn't lose Emma.

Emma let Hook do what he wanted with his hand, as she was a little distracted by the way he was looking at her. "You care about me?" she asked. It seemed like that was what he was implying. Of course, she knew he also meant that he cared about Baelfire, but the way he said it this time made her think he was including her in there as well.

Could she also care about him? Could she trust him? Her guard was always up, especially with Hook, but she was starting to think that maybe she needed to let it down and see if he would surprise her. Without realizing what she was doing, she found her face incredibly close to his and one of her hands at his side. Her eyes flicked from his lips back up to his eyes, silently giving him permission to close the gap if he wished.

And that was the million dollar question, wasn't it? Killian could lie. He could say that, no, anything between them probably wouldn't work out - because of what happened in their past (Emma left him on a beanstalk, for fuck's sakes), because he was too laser-sighted on his goal and couldn't divert from killing Henry's grandfather, because she was potentially still very much in love with Baelfire. It had been him she had once loved, the father of her son. Hook couldn't really blame her for that.

But he swallowed the glass shards in his throat (or what felt like glass shards), and looked at Emma - _really _looked at her. And he knew a lie just wouldn't work at all - he wouldn't deny himself this. "Don't be daft, Swan," he got out in a rumble. "Of course I do." Rather than think about where this would go and what it meant (because he wanted her, he _did_), he gave in to the urge to kiss her - deeply, pouring passion into it, his mouth moving down her neck and leaving the sting of his upteenth o'clock shadow behind, a preview for what was to come. A preview for where he would go next, as he felt the rest of her body deserved that same attention and the red-tinged lines that staked his claim.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author Note: Just a reminder that because of the way this was originally written, there will be fragments and some weird sentence structure from time to time, so if that bothers you...oh, well. Also this chapter is very long and full of language and smut, so if that's not your cup of tea, I would advise it be skipped, though there will certainly be more like it.**

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Emma tightened her grip on him when he kissed her and moved her other hand up to grab his shirt and keep him close. She wasn't giving herself time to think about what she was doing. It felt good, and she wanted it now, so she didn't let her head talk her out of it. As his lips moved down her neck, she couldn't help but let out a sound that was somewhere between a moan and a groan, out of pleasure, of course. Emma bit her lip as he continued marking her and gradually started backing up toward the bed, pulling him along by his shirt. "You better be good," she told him matter-of-factly, a slight smirk forming at the corners of her mouth as she pulled away to remove her jacket. It was suddenly becoming very warm in there, despite the storm raging outside.

"Is that you admitting you care about me?" Killian asked sardonically, returning the smirk. Of _course_ he was good, he was better than good - he'd be the best damn lover she ever had. No resistance was given as Emma pulled him along toward the bed - it also helped that he desired this too - and he kissed her again, another sound leaving him when their lips met. A hungry sound, because she was more dangerous than the mermaids who lured starved men - like he was - to jagged rocks with their entrancing songs, only to drag them into their lair and devour them whole.

Emma could have him now - blackened coal heart, body, and microscopic soul. If that's what she wanted, he didn't know. He just knew he didn't feel like stopping.

He pulled her even closer still, his good hand scrunching her shirt at the small of her back. There was warmth, he wanted skin, fingers splaying over the material before his touch navigated north over the curve of one hip and up her spine, tip of his fingers dragging over each pearly notch. Then the shirt was hauled up over sleek shoulders, and he began working on the buttons of his waistcoat.

Emma didn't answer his question with words, just simply continued to smirk and let him think what he wanted. Maybe she did care about him, maybe she didn't. She knew Hook could very easily go back to the way it was before. To only looking out for himself and to not giving a damn about her. It didn't matter right now, though. All that mattered to her was getting both of their clothes off.

The sounds he was making were driving her crazy, making it almost impossible to have any self control. Emma could barely breathe as he pulled her closer and removed her shirt. The feeling of his hands on her bare skin was enough to drive her wild with want, and she didn't waste any time removing her bra while Hook worked on his waistcoat. Instead of waiting for him to make the next move, she once again closed the space between them and let her hands wander over the front of his pants, undoing them and pushing them down to the ground.

There really was too much clothing between them. His, of course, a mark of his time period - the leather jacket was already gone but there were shiny buttons and a few layers to contend with, however he had shucked the waistcoat off with impressive speed. The pants, Emma handled nicely, as his lips dropped to her neck and ran south for a taste of her skin, with the distinct sound of plunging zippers as accompaniment.

The next kiss he gave her was broken long enough for him to help rid himself of fucking pants in a fluid movement that cast dark material somewhere on the floor. So much tossing of clothing, like the waves churning outside, as he caught the underside of one of her thighs in his hand and pried it up to his hip, catching her just off balance enough to send her falling back into the sheets.

Better get rid of the hook, too.

Unless she was into that. Killian wouldn't judge.

While Hook was busy with his clothes and kissing her neck again, Emma managed to get her own pants off just in time for him to grab her and send her falling back onto the bed in nothing but her underwear. She had honestly forgotten about the hook for once, but she wasn't too keen on that thing going anywhere that it shouldn't. Emma eyed it as Hook stood over her, raising an eyebrow to see if he was going to take it off or leave it on. Either way, she was sick of waiting. "What are you waiting for?" she asked, letting her eyes travel down his body, surprised by how much he was actually turning her on. In that moment, she finally knew what it felt like to be a rebellious teenager, liking the bad boy who your parents would never approve of. Her parents would certainly disapprove, but they didn't need to know, even if they weren't very far away.

The hook wasn't gone quite yet, though he planned to get rid of it. It was simply that teasing his first mate here was so _amusing_. "Patience, Swan," chastised the Captin, who crawled up over her like she was being hunted and he was doing the hunting - a dangerous assumption to make, considering the kind of woman she was, but Killian had always liked danger. "We're sailing through a storm and we've got nowhere else to be right now. Or do you just want me _that_ badly?"

Emma bit down on her lip when he crawled over her, giving him a look like he was treading dangerously close to pissing her off. She actually wished that he _was_ pissing her off. It would be easier that way. She could push him off of her and tell him he had no chance of getting that far with her. But the answer to Hook's last question was, in fact, yes. Yes, she did want him that badly. But the look she was giving him would suffice for an answer, and the look he was giving her told her that he already knew anyway.

He'd guess the answer was yes. And this was a nice underwear set, but it had to go. Here's where the hook came in handy, sliding the strap of her bra down, unfastening it, only to be tossed elsewhere with the bottom portion too. Thank fuck Rumpelstiltskin had spared him one good hand to feel everywhere because he wanted heated skin - touching her collarbone, dragging downward. His mouth followed the path, along her ribcage, in between her breasts, over those curves as his lips closed around her nipple, and his fingers glided toward the apex of her thighs.

The cold metal sent a shiver down her spine. She watched as it trailed down her arm, pulling her bra strap down along with it. Once her bra was off, as well as her underwear, her attention was back to Hook and what he was doing with his mouth. "Mmm...fuck," she mumbled when she felt his lips on her nipple, the other one hardening and begging for the same attention. She slid a hand behind his neck, curling her fingers in his hair to keep him close. The anticipation of where his hand was headed made her back arch slightly off the bed.

"We'll get there too," Killian promised - referring to Emma's use of the word fuck, wasn't he just _so_ clever - kissing over the slope of her chest, tongue dragging over the stiff flesh of nipples, while his hand continued to roam down between her thighs. His teeth even dragged down gently, taking in a whole new tactile texture, as the first of his fingers rubbed slowly, parting soft folds and searching, searching for reactions. Pulling more sounds from her, that was what he wanted.

One finger became a slicked palm, which rubbed back and forth with ever increasing pressure, that one finger doubling into two. He kept the pace, time, and pressure with the way his mouth was descending, using each lash of his tongue or scrape of his teeth as the marker to go forward, deeper, and just a little bit faster.

"You should really stop-" The feeling of his fingers finally reaching their destination caused the need for a quiet moan before she could finish her sentence. "-talking." If sounds were what he wanted, then he was definitely getting what he wanted. It was impossible for Emma to keep quiet, and she was actually glad that there was a storm causing all kinds of noise to muffle what was happening in the room. She sat up a bit on her elbows so that she could watch him, wondering how she could have ever thought he wouldn't be good. A lot of men were useless in the foreplay department but not Hook. He had her head hanging back and her mouth constantly open in an 'O' of pleasure.

It didn't take long for him to find that one spot that would drive her over the edge. "Ugh, right there," she told him, a bit breathlessly. The hand not behind his head was gripping the sheets and she let her head fall back down onto the bed as she was getting a little shaky and couldn't support herself any longer.

It would be _quite_ rude to just take Emma like a caveman and start thrusting away - no, Killian was nothing if not a considerate and thoughtful partner. He knew he had to warm her up first, despite what his own instincts were telling him, and he actually enjoyed this part a great deal. The buildup, so to speak. Her reactions were cherry on the top of this sundae - exactly what he was after. She was just so warm and _tempting_ - he wanted to find out if she tasted as good as he assumed she would.

"Here?" His fingers dove down and entered her the same time his tongue came out to taste her more deeply. "Or...right there?" he taunted, his mouth on her, nibbling and flicking his tongue along the way to her heated center. But only just enough attention to be teasing for now - she could let go of herself entirely if she wanted. It was safe here, in his own cabin, on his ship away from the rest of the world - at least for the moment.

Hook's teasing with his tongue was driving Emma wild, but his continued movement with his fingers was pushing her closer and closer to the edge, so she didn't care. As far as she was concerned, he could tease her all he wanted with that tongue. The feeling building in the pit of her stomach was a feeling she'd been pretty deprived of since she came to Storybrooke, and she figured she was probably going to be experiencing it more than once that night. Her fingers gripped the sheets even tighter as she came, her hips bucking slightly as a loud moan echoed around the room.

Emma lay back on the bed as her erratic breathing started to return to normal. Her orgasm had been more powerful than she was expecting, and she couldn't imagine what else Hook had in store. But before they got to any of that, she owed him a little something in return. "Your turn to be on your back," she told him, moving out of the way and pushing him down. She took a moment to admire his body again before leaning down to capture his lips, nipping at his bottom lip and sucking gently while her hand wandered down past his hips.

Her moan was enough to break any mortal man's will. But Captain Hook was not just _any_ man - he was going to get her to make those sounds, again and again, until they were both too tired to blink. Reveling in those sounds, the way everything tightened on Emma, he finally released his mouth from her with one final lick. It was a cocky, self assured smile he gave her when their eyes met again, and he moved up her body, up and up until he deposited the taste he had been enjoying on her own mouth.

But then her words caught him off guard in a good way. Killian didn't have time to even react, besides a double take - and he went on his back when she pushed him there, hitting the sheets with a huff of air exhaled out. "Oh, my dear, dear Emma," he purred, liking the way she kissed him - pleasing nips he returned, and growls of sound coming from deep within him. "What _are_ you going to do to me?"

Most of the women he was with, they didn't bother to exert control or return any favors. He didn't really expect them to, so this was a pleasant surprise.

"I guess you'll have to wait and find out." Emma wasn't about to let Hook have all the fun of teasing her when she could easily do it to him as well. She moved her lips to his neck, brushing them down the skin slowly, pausing to suck every few seconds at a different spot. Meanwhile, her hand had found what it was looking for - him hard and ready for her to do with as she pleased. She let her hand graze up and down at a torturously slow pace, wanting to hear him be the one to make the noises now.

It would be easy to drag her lips away from his neck and plant them somewhere more southern on his body, but she wasn't going to give him that yet. Emma continued to nip at the skin on his neck, eventually switching sides so that one wasn't getting more attention than the other. She should have been more worried about leaving visible marks than she was, but it was the last thing on her mind.

Gradually, she increased the speed of her hand, pumping up and down at a pace that would feel good but not get him so excited that he'd finish before she could first please him with her mouth as he had her.

Emma's name came from his lips like almost a whimper, fingers curling into a fist, then unclenching. Swan had talented hands that was certain - it took everything Killian had to hold still, but then as she increased the tempo he just gave up. There was a jerk of his hips, a groan that he hissed through his teeth, all traces of bright blue having seeped out of his eyes which were dark with arousal.

He felt stimulated enough to electrically power a whole country.

And the marks on his skin, he'd bear them proudly. Emma also wasn't going to get away with coming out of this night without her share of battle wounds either. "Good lord, Swan," he huffed, not wanting to beg for more but...it was quite obvious that was what he wanted.

Emma wanted to hear Hook beg for more, and she took what he said to be his too-proud-to-say-it way of doing it. Not to mention, the groan she received for increasing the speed of her hand was a good indication that he would like her to continue. And so she would.

As her lips came down near his adam's apple, she started a trail down his chest, leaving soft kisses every few inches until she reached the spot between his hips. Instead of getting right to the point, she decided to continue teasing him for a moment, licking a line to first one hipbone and then the other, all while stilling her hand to cause even more frustation.

When she was satisfied that he'd had about all the waiting he could stand, she took him into her mouth slowly but all at once. Her lips closed around him to form a tight seal, and she let her tongue drag along his skin on the way back up. Emma continued this same motion for a while before focusing on just the tip, her tongue swirling in circles while her hand resumed its previous job to double the stimulation.

Oh, _finally_. Killian had been about ready to explode, when Emma provided that much-needed relief. Still, he told himself. He had to stay still. He had to relinquish control, as difficult for him as it was. At least he had a front row seat to her talents, sweeping blonde hair away from her face as he willingly became a prisoner to the trap of her mouth. A shudder of pleasure rippled through him, and he didn't want to cause her pain with the demanding thrusts his body was screaming at him to make.

And yet he couldn't exactly hold still. "Emma, _fuck_," he grumble-groaned, as she struck a chord by sweeping her tongue over the tip; it was the most sensitive part of a man's body and with all the attention, he was more than happy to encourage her. His fingers twisted in Emma's hair as his hips bucked, holding her head, wetting her lips - demanding more.

"_Emma_," he said her name like a warning. Because if she kept on down this path she'd end up with a mouthful. His hand moved to the sheets, in an attempt to find something else to ground him.

It was pleasing to know that Hook was enjoying what she was doing, but she was also enjoying it, too. Every time he said her name, it just encouraged her to continue, and she liked hearing him say her first name, though it would be a bit odd to hear him call her that out of the bedroom and around the rest of the crew who were probably wondering where the hell she was.

Emma was well aware of what he was trying to tell her when he said her name the last time, and she was grateful to have the warning, but she wasn't about to stop. Her free hand searched the sheets beside Hook until she found his hand. She grabbed onto it to let him know that she didn't care and wanted him to give in to the pleasure. To make that point quite clear, she took him fully into her mouth again, still allowing her tongue to drag along, and listened to the sounds he was making so she'd know when to pull back a bit.

Very well, Ms. Swan! With all of that pressure built and her mouth gone from full contact to zeroed in, I'm-not-fucking-around business, Killian gasped and...well, he let go. Hot and warm, he spilled everything, his body doing all it could not to give a jerk off the bed. It didn't quite work, however. His back arched, muscles constricting like a viper, and his venom met her ready mouth with a rush of pleasure.

Emma pulled her mouth back just enough to not choke and swallowed every bit that he gave her. Ask her a few hours ago if she would be in this position, and she would have said _hell no_, but alas, here they were. After one final lick to clean him up, Emma looked up with a sly smile on her face, satisfied that he had been at her mercy for those few moments.

He sank into the sheets, slightly weakened by the drain for now, chest rising and falling in uneven breaths as he shakily reached down to sweep Emma's hair between his fingers to cup her jaw, wanting to pull her up to be closer. Just give him a minute, then he'd be ready for another round at this.

Captain Hook could go all night, oh yes, he could.

She allowed Hook to pull her up to him, and she kissed him on the mouth once before letting him catch his breath. "You're not tired, are you?" Emma couldn't help herself. Taunting him always got a good reaction, and she knew he wanted to prove his stamina was above all others.

Tired? Perish the thought! "Of you, darling? Never," Killian smirked, his hand cupping her cheek, leaning in to give her another kiss - he could taste himself, he could taste _her_, the mixing of the two, and it was nothing short of arousing. This close and he probably smelled like his usual self, leather and the sea, but also like sex and pheromones - the whole cabin smelled like that, and felt like a steam room. From here, it would only get hotter.

"I'm actually not quite finished with you..." He said it in a growl, shifting toward her to pin her on her back, his hand stapling her wrist to the sheets, above her head, and his mouth crashed down on hers once more. Hook planned to have his way with her and if she wanted her way with _him_? She'd have to fight for control. But honestly, who didn't love a good power struggle in the bedroom?

Emma returned his kiss, also tasting just how aroused the two of them were. Neither of them were quite sated yet, that much was obvious. It was going to be a long evening for them, and she wasn't minding.

She let out a grunt when he pinned her to the bed, but it was covered up by his mouth on hers again, and she pushed her hips up against his to let him know what she wanted. She _did_ plan on regaining control eventually, but for now, she just wanted him to fuck her. She would have told him that, but she was having difficulty pulling her lips away from his. He was, unfortunately for her, a very intoxicating man, and she found herself not being able to get enough.

Emma's body language was clear - and lucky day, they both wanted the same things. There was no use in being gentle and soft about it or acting like they were blushing virgins on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. No, Killian wanted her - he wanted to fuck her, he wanted to hear her scream, he wanted to do _everything_ to her. Because for now? Now, she was his.

He splayed her thighs to his liking, angling in between - and then there was snap of his hips, pushing into her as deep as he could go now, into welcoming heat and tightness. "Just as good as I thought, Emma," he got out in a groan, rough fingers pressed into smooth skin. His teeth sunk into her, marking her flesh with shallow, red-tinged lines. Which he wouldn't feel guilty about later. Not at all.

"Fuck!" Emma cried out when he first entered her, biting her lip and closing her eyes momentarily to enjoy the feeling. After freeing her arms, she wrapped them around him, and she dug her nails into his back, leaving trails of red as he continued to thrust into her. She brought one of her hands back up to grab his face and turn it toward her so that her lips could collide with his. The kisses were sloppy and possessive, but it was all that could be managed under the circumstances. It was impossible, once again, for her to keep quiet, and she continually moaned out loudly, rocking her hips up in rhythm with his pace.

He returned all of those kisses, stealing them, stealing her breath - taking everything. That was what Killian did, because he couldn't even begin to tell when he'd get to have Emma again. Or what this meant, or what would happen _after_ - and those were questions best suited for another time. Like not when she felt so _good_ and like he never wanted to stop.

She knew what was going to happen when this was over. Inevitably, Hook would make comments around everyone else, and someone would catch on. Someone would understand what happened between them, if not from the comments then from the marks both of them were sure to have. She was not looking forward to explaining that one, but at least for now, she didn't have to. As for if this would happen again, she had no clue. She didn't know if this was just because she'd been vulnerable and he'd been there for her or if she truly did want to be with him.

Eventually, Emma wrapped one of her legs around him, using that and her hands to get Hook on his back again with him still inside her. She moved up and down and circled her hips, all while making eye contact with him so that he could see just how much she was enjoying not only the sex, but being the one in control again.

There was a noise of surprise from him, a half grunt, half groan when she brought about a nimble trade of their positions, but he liked it that way - for now, she could keep that control she seemed to want.

Because Emma was indeed a beautiful thing to watch, very exquisite scenery. He couldn't help but really enjoy this vantage point - the feel of her legs wrapped snugly around his hips was nice too, but here he could see everything. The slope of her neck and the way her hair fell over her shoulders; he could touch everything - fondling and cupping her breasts, fingers sliding down to touch slickness where they were joined - everything was all sensation and feeling. Wanting to be not just a viewer but an active participant, he shifted slightly, an arm ground around her waist as he leaned forward enough, his head buried between her breasts and at a perfect vantage point to kiss and suck on her nipples.

Emma continued rocking her hips, letting out small moans and groans as a different spot was struck. When Hook sat up, it put them at a different angle, and allowed for even better penetration. Her legs were feeling shaky already; the numbing pleasure was starting to get to her. She placed a hand behind his head to keep his face close to her chest, leaning her own face down to rest against the side of his head, making her moans much easier for him to hear.

Man alive, she needed to not stop. _Ever_. Even if they both were sweaty, damp, bones-turned-to-liquid messes, she needed to not stop. "Emma, _god_," was all Killian could say - not that he was one to subscribe to belief in a higher power (nor was he calling her God...) but it was all he could muster up right now, when it came to expressing himself verbally. The way her hips pirouetted on him was intoxicating, maddening, the way her breasts swayed so invitingly - he felt his blood boiling in his veins as he rested his hand on her thigh, his thumb circling that sweet spot - compelling her to move faster, harder, to let go of herself completely.

The sounds she made, right by his ear, sent shivers running through him; his teeth teased her nipple as the pressure of his thumb increased, circling faster. No one had better even walk _near_ his cabin, or he was going to set them on fire. Somehow.

It was getting harder and harder to think straight, and Emma knew that she was close to reaching that peak again and then collapsing back on the bed, never to move again. Or at least for a good while while she recovered. When he started circling with his thumb, she knew there was no use in fighting it anymore. "Don't stop," she cried out, holding onto him so that she wouldn't buckle under the intense feeling rocking her body to its core. Her muscles spasmed, and she let out a final moan into Hook's ear, biting down as she rode out this second climax.

Don't stop? That wasn't what Killian planned. Oh no, not at all. He could do nothing else, not with the way Emma tightened on him like a wet slippery vice and shuddered. Not with the sounds she made or the look on her face as she came. He made another hard and intent thrust inside of her, into that clenched hot center, until his own groan and locked muscles accompanied her. No other choice.

With his body supporting hers, she was able to stay in the same position, looking into his eyes as they both tried to contain their breathing. Emma tried to think of something to say about what had happened between them, but she didn't know what to say, honestly. All she could think to do was kiss him, this time with the same passion he'd originally kissed her with that first time. Both hands gripped the sides of his neck, clasping at the back, and she let her tongue out to mingle with his. As wrong as it was, and as everyone else would see it, it _felt_ right.

When she kissed him he returned it eagerly, releasing a groan into her mouth. He then cupped her jaw to kiss softly down in a slow burn, releasing heat over her neck. Cooled embers of blue-heated eyes lifted to follow the lines of her face and that mouth that he then claimed in one last possessive kiss because tonight would end and she would go back to her family but for now, she was his.

Emma was almost dreading seeing her family after what happened. She knew she would act different. Not on purpose, just because she would still be in shock and worried that they would just be able to notice from one glance at her that she'd slept with Hook. It was paranoia mostly. It would certainly cause some trouble between her and Mary Margaret and David, but she didn't really care much for what Regina or Gold would say.

"Well..." Killian cleared his throat. "Was I good enough, Swan?"

When Hook asked her if he was good enough, she rolled her eyes and let out a sigh. Of course he already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear her admit it. "Yeah," she said with a nod, finally removing herself from him and laying back on the bed. "You were..._more_ than good enough." Emma pulled the sheets up and around her. She thought about just getting dressed and leaving, but she still didn't know if walking was a possibility. "You seemed to enjoy yourself as well."

"Slightly," Killian replied airily, but he teasingly tugged at the sheet Emma covered herself with and bent to kiss her forehead, then laid beside her - finally giving himself a chance to catch his breath. "Or actually, quite a bit. I've wanted you...well..." he trailed off, listening to the rain and the waves outside for a moment, as the ship rocked, the sea anchor dragging the Jolly Roger while the storm surged around her. Emma _must_ know that he'd wanted her for a long, long time. "...since the beanstalk."

He supposed at some point he'd have to go up on deck and check on things, but it was still pouring rain and walking into a wind and lightning storm wasn't the _best_ idea. So many nights he had laid here, in the captain's cabin - though admittedly, most of the time he was alone.

Emma did know. He hadn't really tried to hide it. And then she went and left him with the giant because she was afraid she couldn't trust him. Sometimes she wondered what would have happened if she hadn't left him there, but mostly she tells herself that she made the right decision. "And I didn't completely kill the desire by abandoning you there?" Her lips curled up in a small smile as she propped herself up on her elbow so that she could look at him better.

Surprisingly, she hadn't killed the desire. It made him chuckle tiredly, his fingers reaching to tuck Emma's hair behind her ear when she propped herself up, and the way he looked at her probably gave her the answer she needed anyway. "No. I understand why you did it," was all he said, and maybe he hadn't at the time - maybe it had really pissed him off at the time. But Hook had read her well, better than most anyone, and he barely knew her. There was that connection between them even then, and it scared the fuck out of her. Him too, but he was more smarmy about it, hiding his true thoughts and feelings behind a wink and some charm.

There was a lot of just looking at one another for a while before Emma decided to break the silence. "So...what now?" It was _the_ question. What happened next? Should she leave? Should she stay? Was this going to happen again or was it a one time thing just to get it out of their systems? If it continued happening, they would be found out for sure, and she didn't know if she was ready for that. What would Henry think? And what about Neal? There were too many variables, but she inevitably came back to the same conclusion: she didn't think she could stay away from Hook.

Her question was inevitable, though. Killian didn't have an answer at first; he thought about it, while the storm continued to churn outside. "How long do you want me for, Emma?" he asked her. "Because you..." She could have him, and he wanted to have her, too. He wanted more. He wanted _something_. It was just hard to say.

It was true that they had a connection. As much as she didn't want to admit it, he did know her without really _knowing_ her. Well, now he _knew_ her but in a different way. And if he wanted to get closer to her, then she was willing to try and let him. It might not be easy at first, but it seemed like he thought it was worth it. That she was worth it.

When Hook asked her how long she wanted him for, she didn't know what to say at first, and then he trailed off and confused her even more. Emma wanted to be honest, but it took her a moment to really think about what honest was for her in this situation. "Longer than just tonight." That was the only answer that she could give him for now, and she hoped that it was enough.

Killian let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Longer than just tonight? It was a suitable answer - better than 'I never want to see you again, you pirate bastard' and he knew that both of them were scarred people. That the holes in their hearts (his as blackened as it was) couldn't be filled overnight. But it was enough to believe that they both deserved to try, and so they _would_ try.

"You can have me," he said, finishing what he was about to speak before. "For longer than just tonight. Then we'll go from here, and I want you..." His hand cupped her cheek again, and he anchored himself in to kiss her, so close that when his lashes fluttered closed they kissed her skin too. "I want you longer than just tonight." _That_ was something he hadn't said in awhile.

Emma smiled involuntarily when Hook said that he wanted her longer than for just that night, too. She really hadn't been expecting it, hadn't been expecting any of what had happened, really. She knew that if they were going to try and make whatever they had work, it was going to be difficult. They were both set in their ways, and there was still going to be a lot of clashing between them when they got back out into the world and began the journey they'd set out on.

"We'll see what happens then," she said after he kissed her, pressing her lips back against his afterward. "But for now, I think I better go lie to everyone about where I was or there might be a dead pirate on this ship before morning." David would certainly want to kill Hook if he knew that he slept with his daughter, but when that time came, and he knew, Emma would defend Hook. She got out of the bed reluctantly and started to dress.

Killian chuckled ruefully. "It's probably for the best. Until we do what we came to do," he said, also moving from the tangle of sheets to find his trousers and slip them on - when he buttoned up the waistcoat and vest he'd head up on deck to check things there at the helm. A captain couldn't go too long without steering his ship! They were on course, but he needed to check what the storm was doing, too. The ones in Neverland were always particularly nasty, and served more as a dinner call for the mermaids than anything else. Ugh.

"If you want..." she started to say, pausing to pull her shirt over her head. "...I'll come back tonight." It wouldn't hurt to spend the night there with him, if he wanted her to.

As he was buttoning back up he paused too, when Emma did, glancing over at her while she spoke. "Yes," Hook replied at once, not even having to think about it. "Yes, you should. I'd quite like it if you did, Emma." Killian would spend every and any night with her, that much was apparent. It was a frightening thought but at the same time, new and exciting. For once, he would have something driving him besides bittersweet revenge - and that would take some getting used to.

"Here, take the key." It was a skeleton key, and it unlocked all the cabins but especially the captain's. He handed it over, pressing it into her palm.

Emma took the key and slipped into her back pocket. She placed her hand on the area of his chest that wasn't covered completely by his vest and then kissed him softly. Without saying another word, she exited the cabin and went to find David and Mary Margaret. She had no idea where they would be, but she knew it wasn't going to be on deck with all this rain and thunder. Luckily, they weren't standing right outside the door either. She found them in a corridor, talking about something that she couldn't hear, and they stopped when they saw her coming toward them.

"Emma! Where have you been?" Snow asked, obviously worried.

"No where special. I just needed some time alone to think." That should be a viable excuse, after all she had just lost Neal _and_ Henry. She probably should have looked in the mirror to see what state her hair was in, but they didn't seem to think there was anything out of the ordinary.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you to everyone who followed and/or favorited! I wish there was a way to share my Captain Swan playlist that I listen to on Spotify with you all because it fits so well with this story. Maybe I'll just post the songs one day. Also we kind of hurried up the whole getting Henry back thing because that isn't the point of this story, and we didn't want them to be in Neverland very long. Just in case you end up wondering about that.**

* * *

_Say you have a little faith in me_  
_Just close your eyes and let me lead_  
_Follow me home_

_Need to have a little trust in me_  
_Just close your eyes and let me lead_  
_Follow me home_  
_To where the lonely ones roam_

That morning, Emma left the captain's quarters before Hook woke up. She wanted to get out on deck and breathe in the fresh air since the storm had kept them below deck all night. Charming and Snow were already there, standing together and looking out at the approaching land. She knew it wouldn't be long until Hook would come up and join them, and she just hoped that he'd be able to keep his mouth shut. And he did, surprisingly, for the most part.

And what a wild night the previous one had been. It was possible that Captain Hook was still reeling from the effects, as Ms. Swan was no slouch in the bedroom, which made it difficult to concentrate - but he sobered up really quick from his drunkenness-induced-by-sex state when Charming began to give him the Fatherly Eye. Of course he'd suspect something, but there was no way to confirm it, and besides, they all had other matters to attend to at the moment, so the Inquisition would have to wait until Henry was safe and sound again.

Once the anchor was down, it was finally time to get a move on and search for Henry. She was extremely anxious about the whole thing. Finding Henry was the only think she cared about at that moment, and she was in a place that she'd never been before. An entire world that she had thought was only fiction. Not to mention, Tamara and Greg were on the loose as well and who knew what they were going to do with Henry? Hook was the most familiar with Neverland, and it made her feel safer to know he was with them.

As everyone began making their way off of the ship, Emma lingered behind so that she'd get a word with Hook by herself. "What are we up against?" she asked. "Do you think Henry's okay?" Each land seemed to have something different to scare the shit out of you. But Tamara and Greg had to have a purpose behind taking Henry, and she had a feeling that they were only going to keep him safe as long as it took for them to do what they came here to do.

Rumpelfucker seemed to want to walk (or limp, whatever) as far from Hook as possible - their truce shaky at best, and who knew how long it would last - so he had no problem lingering to round out the rear of their dysfunctional pirate crew when Emma joined him. "Lost Boys," he remarked at once, in response to her question, straightening the front of his leather jacket. "They work for the Shadow, who has been searching for a certain young boy as I mentioned. I'm not certain what they wish to do with him and probably neither do Tamara and Greg. They have no idea who they're working for."

They mentioned 'the home office' (or rather, Hook heard mentions of it while eavesdropping) but what the connection between all of it was, he wasn't certain. "I guarantee though..." He leaned closer to Emma, to speak in a murmur. "If _anyone_ knows more than what they're saying, it's the Crocodile." He knew Peter Pan, the Shadow, and what the Lost Boys would want with Henry - of that, Killian was sure.

"Great," Emma murmured in response and walked down to join the rest of the so-called crew. She would always be suspicious of Gold, that was a fact. They _were_, however, family, which made it complicated. As if she needed any more complications in her life, and she went and added one the night before.

She couldn't exactly just come out and accuse Gold of knowing something that he wasn't sharing. Well...she could. But starting off with an argument wouldn't get them anywhere. "So where the hell do we go first?" Emma asked no one in particular once they were all standing together in a group. She did eye Gold for a moment before turning to look at Hook. If this Shadow thing was in charge and that's who Tamara and Greg were working for, that was where they were going to have to go. "How do we find the Shadow? If that thing wants Henry, we don't have a lot of time to waste deliberating."

"Well, Swan," Hook responded, arching one coal dust colored brow up toward the sky. "He's a Shadow, so he mostly comes out at night." Har, har! Killian wasn't making _fun_ of Emma per se, but it was just in his nature to be sarcastic and snarky - all in good fun, no offense meant. "But why don't we head for the Lost Boys camp? It's a treehouse hidden in the jungle, just off the beach, and it may sound primitive but they've got a whole network set up - connected by bridges and things, you see. If Tamara and Greg are with the Lost Boys, they'll be there. And they don't expect us to be coming, since they think they had all of the magic beans."

The whole setup was kind of like an aerial maze in the sky, so it was a good thing the whole group would be going along. Then again, storming the castle with the whole group would either go really well...or _really_ badly.

Emma rolled her eyes. "Whatever. If you know where to go, we'll follow you." It helped that they were acting like they normally did. Not much had changed there. She'd just make him pay for the comment in certain other ways the next time they were alone. Or maybe she'd find another way to tease him while they weren't alone and there was nothing he could do about it.

Even if they weren't going to be expected by Tamara and Greg, someone was bound to see them if they weren't careful, and she had a feeling that they would look very out of place having come from Storybrooke to a place like Neverland. She just had a bad feeling sitting in her stomach, and she couldn't shake it. It was hard to have faith in a group of people who mostly did not trust each other. At least they all did have one common goal - to find Henry. Even if not all of their motives were the same.

"We've got to cross through the jungle and remember that the Lost Boys have got fairies on their side too. They're not the friendly sort you're used to." He started off in that direction, content to lead them, though if Gold or Her Majesty had some sort of invisibility spell or whatever, that might be useful.

"Sounds great," Emma said sarcastically in response to the fairies comment. "And how are we going to defend ourselves?" It was a good question to consider. Hook could certainly hold his own, as could Emma, but this was a bit of a different environment.

Defense against fairy dust? If they managed to sprinkle it over you, that was it. They'd just have to be on guard, that was all. "Pray that you don't sneeze," was all he said because the best defense for fairy dust was magic - and Gold and Regina had enough of that in droves. Although there was also a certain blonde...

"Come now, love, you might know how, don't you?" he inquired of Emma, causing Charming to give the Captain a sharp look - but if the blonde had magic at her disposal, then shouldn't she use it? She had two completely psychotic tutors right here to aid her! Perhaps not the best incentive, but now was as good of a time as any to learn.

Emma hadn't just meant fairies, but she let it go when Hook started talking about her having magic. She still wasn't used to it, still couldn't believe that she was capable of using magic. She'd only done it a few times, and besides that, she had no idea what to do with it or how to use it. She caught the look her father gave the pirate, and she had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Charming suspected something, but it seemed as if Snow was a little oblivious to the whole thing. After all, Charming was always cold when it came to Hook.

Killian hated trekking through the forest with such a large group. He wanted to suggest that they split up, but the others didn't know their way around and would surely get all turned around on the way to the Lost Boys camp. "Either way, we could use an illusion spell or invisibility _or_..." Hook was about to make a quip about how Cora could do it no problem, but that would surely mean Regina would off him in two seconds.

Splitting up was actually a thought on Emma's mind as well. They were making too much noise at the moment, and if they were going to stay together, they were going to have to walk closer together and be careful about what they were doing. She didn't know where the hell they were going, though, and if anyone else besides Hook did, they weren't speaking up.

"Well, _I_ can't do that," Emma said, referring to the invisibility spell. She was still in partial denial. Snow spoke up at that point, asking, "What about you, Gold? Is there anything you can do to help us?"

Yes, _Gold_, anything you could do? Killian was oh-so-curious as well about what the Dark One had to offer here for their little ragtag pirate rescue crew...from Hell. "We should split up," Hook offered, before Rumpel could speak. He was going to get his opinion in first, damnit. "So if - "

"The dirty pirate may be onto something," Gold interrupted, which caused Killian's lip to twitch with want to display some kind of indication of disdain, but he kept quiet. "In _fact_..." A cloud of magic, purple smoke, shaped and twisted above his hand, which he held out palm-up and there appeared three glowing stones. "Tracking spell," Gold explained. "Follow the glow - blue means the correct destination, red means you're going the wrong way. We'll split up into pairs. Regina, come with me. Emma's parents in another, and Emma, you go with Hook. Sorry," he smirked cheekily.

When Hook suggested they split up, Emma would have chimed in, except Gold decided to speak up first. She watched as he conjured three stones and then explained what they were for...and then suggested that they go in pairs. And her with Hook.

"We'll head for the Lost Boys, and infiltrate together when we get there," Hook said, purposely ignoring Gold.

"Emma should come with us!" Snow insisted, not wanting her daughter to be alone with Captain Hook, understandably so. "I'll go with Hook, and Emma can go with you," Charming suggested next, but Emma wasn't having any of it. "Come on, I can handle myself. We'll meet up with you soon." She stepped up and took the stone from Gold, closing her hand around it, and walked back toward Hook.

Killian would let Emma take the magic stone from Rumpelstiltskin. There was no way he could get that close without wanting to stab him again.

When she approached Hook, she could tell by the look on his face that this arrangement was what he'd wanted. "Don't look so pleased." She grabbed his arm and dragged him along for a bit to get him moving and away from the eyes that were boring into their backs.

Killian wasn't exactly sure that Regina and Rumpel could manage to remain civil enough to find the Lost Boys tree village in the sky but he didn't quite care. If they got eaten by a beastly thing or assaulted by angry members of the Piccaninny tribe in the meantime, good on them. _He_ was going with Emma, which suited him just fine. Giving a 'charming' smile to her mum and dad, he let the blonde savior grab his arm and pull him off in another direction. Get on with it, everyone, no need to stare! He wanted to reach kidnapped Henry and get everyone on board for an exit plan _before_ nightfall. Wishful thinking, but alas.

"I'd say _you're_ looking rather pleased," he chuckled darkly, glancing over to check on the stone - still glowing blue, though Killian knew the way anyway. They'd probably reach the destination before the others but again, he had lived here for a mere hundred or so years earlier. "Though I rather like the expression on your face when you're feeling particularly _pleased_. This way, darling, watch where you step." At least he had the hook to help slash through some particularly annoying low-hanging vines.

"I just want to find Henry." Emma didn't mind that she was going with Hook. She knew he wanted to find Henry almost as much as she did, and he knew this place better than anyone else. They wouldn't get lost, and she really didn't care if the others made it in time, as long as she did and could fight to get her son back. Regina and Gold would surely have an interesting time together, but they both had magic and would probably be just fine. And her parents always seemed to make it through anything together, so she wasn't worried. Splitting up meant covering more ground _and_ being able to keep a lower profile.

Hook's comment about liking her facial expression made her roll her eyes, something she did a lot with him. As much as she hated to admit it, she did enjoy the way he called her _darling_. "And if you want to see it again..." She stopped and grabbed his chin, pulling his face to hers, making sure their lips were close but didn't touch. "...you'll hurry up and get me to where we need to go." After that she let him continue leading, staying close and trying to watch where she was going.

Emma Swan, certified tease! The way she took control and grabbed him, pulling him near enough to be tantalizing, merely brought back memories of their night before and certainly got her point across. He _almost_ sunk his teeth into her lower lip, nipping at her, but managed to control himself for about five seconds. "As fast as we can go, love," he promised, dropping bright blue eyes to look down through his lashes and watch her mouth. Oh, that _mouth_ of hers...

Of course, her thoughts started distracting her, and she tripped on some sort of vine. She grabbed Hook's hand to keep her from completely face-planting and ended up pressed against his chest.

Right then. Continuing along, Killian started a bit when Emma tripped - he was on guard though, and caught her against his chest, arms around her. Ducking his head, he kissed her - open mouthed and hot and steamy as the air around them - wanting to get one in before they continued. "Now then, where were we?" Hurrying toward Henry.

Emma knew as soon as she looked up at him after he caught her that she wanted to kiss him. As soon as his mouth was on hers, she pushed herself closer and pretended for a moment that they were somewhere safe. But then it was back to reality, and they were both surely left wishing they could have a repeat of the previous night.

"You tell me," she replied, making a mental note to be more careful with her feet. "This thing says that that we're going in the right direction. Not that you need it." The stones were more for the other two pairs, rather than them. They continued walking in silence for a while, Emma simply moving the way that Hook did. Before long, she could tell that they were getting close. Things began appearing in the distance, and she didn't know exactly how close they could get before someone noticed them, though she didn't see anyone at that point.

"What do we do now?" It didn't look like there would be an easy way in, but if anyone would know, it would be him. "I don't see anyone else yet." Regina, Rumpel, Snow, and Charming were no where in the immediate area, and Emma was getting anxious.

Killian paused, extending an arm to get Emma to stop and hang back too, as he assessed the scene just up ahead - the HQ of the Lost Boys. The other pairs weren't anywhere in sight, but they were probably going solely by their stones so it would take a bit longer. However, they'd be along and they'd make good backup. There was no reason why he and Emma couldn't forge ahead and make a sweep of the place, even potentially taking care of Tamara and Greg if they had to. Gods, but if Tamara had that _damn_ taser? And it was likely that Greg was armed with a gun, too.

But first they had to take care of the guards. Felix, head Lost Boy, wasn't there but it also wasn't uncommon to leave a couple others at the base while the rest of the Lost Boys went on their rounds. They had their run of Neverland, and there was a good chance Henry was somewhere up in their headquarters.

"You take one, I'll take the other?" he suggested in a murmur, iceberg eyes slenderizing in a squint to observe the two cooked geese and how to best take out the one on the right, some shady-looking character peeping out from under his hood while guarding the base. It had been ages since Hook had been around the Lost Boys, and he wasn't exactly eager to return. Of course he sympathized with them - also being an abandoned child with a deadbeat father and everything - but doing the work of the Shadow was dangerous, to say the least.

And surely Emma knew how to knock a teenage boy unconscious. What with all of her sheriff's training and all.

Emma had no problem with the two of them going ahead and seeing what they could accomplish. The longer they waited, the more danger Henry was in, and she knew Regina wouldn't give a damn and wait for her, so why should she care? Not to mention, she wanted to be the one to beat the shit out of Tamara for taking both Neal and Henry away from her.

"Yeah," Emma said with a nod, looking at the two boys standing guard outside. They looked like teenagers, but they were older than she was. Kind of creepy, actually. Nevertheless, she was pretty good when it came to kicking someone's ass, and she had no issue with these boys. As Hook and Emma parted ways, she made sure to be quiet in order to take him by surprise. Unfortunately, Hook got to his mark a little before she was able to make her move, and the noise startled the boy standing a couple feet away from her. When he saw her, she could tell he was already ready to strike, but she dropped to her side and kicked his feet out from under him. He smacked his head off the ground and went unconscious. "Well, that was easy," she remarked, turning to see that Hook had rendered the other guard unconscious as well.

Well, they made a fine team, didn't they? It was something Killian had said before, and he meant it now, too. He had climbed a tree, sturdy branches to cling to, and while Killian wasn't the best at scaling damn _trees_ he knew how to climb anyway - it was a part of a pirate's necessary skill set, going up all those masts. Of course with one hook and a hand it was difficult, and he scraped up the flesh and blood one pretty good, but his plan was to drop like a rock, holding a rock...

And that's what he did, ambushing the other Lost Boy with a large stone and his bulky self, giving him a good crack in the skull but not enough to kill him. It would just be a rather uncomfortable goose egg when he awakened. There was a lot to be said for the element of surprise.

"Easy enough," he remarked, coming back around beside Emma. "This way. We stick together while we're up there."

"Sounds good to me," Emma said quietly, following close behind him and looking around a bit.

The path to the ladder, which led to the treehouse's entrance was clear, and Killian went first - glancing back behind his shoulder to check for Emma and also stragglers (because anyone could pop out at anytime) but then faced forward on a mission to get into their elaborate setup. It looked primitive on the outside, but this was where the Lost Boys had their headquarters, so to speak. These were the people Tamara and Greg were working for, weren't they? He didn't have time to ponder the why, how, or when it even all started.

Emma had always been reluctant to admit that they made a good team, but now she didn't mind so much. It was a good thing. They had chemistry long before she even let herself believe it. Even after holding a knife to his throat and abandoning him at the top of a beanstalk, he still wanted to be with her. He'd done his fair share to her and her family, but she was letting herself overlook that now, something her family would be unable to do, she was sure.

"Hurry," he rumbled as he ascended the rope ladder, popping up into the main entrance of the treehouse, which spanned a large number of foliage, all connected by bridges in the sky.

When she saw the rope, it was like gym class all over again. "Are you kidding me?" she mumbled to herself, waiting until he was up before she started climbing up after him.

They probably weren't alone. Killian would have put money on it.

When Emma was finally standing beside him, her eyes widened at the sight. It was crazy what they lived in, what they'd at one time built. "Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?" She could feel it, too. They were in for some trouble, and it would have been nice to have Regina's and Gold's magic right about then.

Why, oh, why couldn't he and Emma just be back on the Jolly Roger indulging in their sexual fantasies?! This whole thing was quite a bother, but Henry was up here somewhere and Killian was determined to get him back to his family. "A bad feeling..." he echoed, and then _bam_ - the gunshots started. Someone was _shooting_ at them? Greg, of course. Narrowly having been missed, Killian grabbed Emma's arm - and as long as she got away, he'd be fine with playing as the distraction for now. "Go. Find him," the pirate insisted, then took off to the left to play the part of the decoy. _Great_.

The bridge swayed precariously as he hurried across it, and Killian jumped the remaining distance once he got toward the end. Then he was darting in and out of the trees like a squirrel, someone deceptively attuned to being in the forest, so landlocked, given how the sea was in his blood, but it was instinct at this point and a certain skill of survival that few possessed. One of Killian's most extraordinary abilities was the skill to survive, to endure, no matter the circumstance.

He was attempting to lead them away from Emma, but in doing so he encountered Tamara. And subsequently, a scuffle on the bridge that ended with him slashing at her with his hook, grabbing a pouch she wore on her hip that he _hoped_ contained magic beans - the remainder of the ones she stole from Regina - and attempting to push Tamara from over the edge of that bridge. But the rope couldn't withstand the effect of their brawl and down they both went, hanging on to the wooden slats with the bridge now vertical.

"Crazy bitch," he hissed, kicking her in the face. That would leave a black eye. Kicking at her again, she chose that moment to tase him in the ass, then a few things happened. Killian let out a snarl of pain (because electricity, _ow_), Tamara lost her grip and fell, and so did he, only he didn't fall all the way. Sprinkled with fairy dust from above, Hook suddenly found that if he flailed in _just_ the right way...he could _fly_.

Emma knew something bad was about to happen, and the shots that rang out just confirmed it. She ducked down, grabbing onto Hook as he grabbed onto her. When he told her to go after Greg, she nodded and took off in the opposite direction toward where the bullets had come from. "Sure, make me go after the guy with the gun," she mumbled to herself as she ran. He wasn't showing himself or taking any more chances with that gun of his at the moment, and Emma took advantage of that. Or so she thought. Out of no where, Greg stuck his arm out and hit her in the face, knocking her back. Emma was stunned for a moment, long enough for him to stand over her and point the loaded gun at her face.

She didn't panic because she knew she could get out of this. She simply watched him carefully, and a cry from somewhere behind them from Tamara made him lose eye contact long enough for Emma to knock the gun out of his hands. She sprawled out on the ground to grab it, as did Greg, but she elbowed him in the jaw before wrapping her fingers around the barrel and pulling it to her. He made a move to grab her, so she hit him in the face again, this time with the gun, knocking him unconscious. "Asshole," she spit at him.

Now, she had to find Hook.

As she approached the bridge, running at full speed, she quickly slid to a stop at the sight of it turning quite dangerously back and forth. And then she saw Hook. "What the hell are you doing?!" she yelled. It looked like he was..._flying_. Although that really didn't surprise her. Nothing could surprise her anymore.

Mother of _pearl_! Killian heard Emma's indignant shout and he flailed again, arms and legs thrashing about, wondering if she had managed to take care of Greg - well, _obviously_ - and if Henry had been spotted. He certainly hoped so, because he wouldn't have left her with a crazed gunman and/or led a crazy taser-carrying bitch away from her only to get electrocuted if he didn't _really_ think Henry was near.

"I'm preparing to meet the Queen for tea!" he called back, struggling to right himself in the air.

Hook looked ridiculous, and Emma would have laughed if the situation they were in wasn't quite so serious. She'd make fun of him later. She saw Tamara on the ground and hoped that she wouldn't be getting back up, and if she did, Emma planned on knocking her out again. If Henry had been around, she hadn't seen him or heard him, so she assumed he was being kept in another area of the contraption they were climbing around in. Greg and Tamara just wanted to make sure they didn't make it that far. Joke was on them. How could they ever think they'd win?

There was a flash of glittering wings and a tiny light just a bit above Hook's head - a fairy, circling 'round and around. "...Tink?"

The sound of tiny bells chiming, a nod of the fairy's tiny head decked out with even tinier ribbons confirmed that.

"Did you spot Henry?" he asked, flying - awkwardly, at that - closer to Emma, while Tamara lay in a heap on the ground. She..._might_ still be alive. Hook didn't care either way. Then there was another sound of tiny chiming above him, the fairy scuttling about frantically. "Tinkerbell says she'll take you to Henry..." Another chime. "...of course I think you're prettier than she is."

Okay, that was a lie, but Tinkerbell was a very vain fairy!

_Tinkerbell_? Really? Well, she should have known. At least she seemed to be on their side. Hook received an eye roll once again when he told the fairy that she was prettier. Typical.

"Do you want me to meet the others down below, Emma?"

"You should tie the two of them up first," Emma instructed. "Greg's knocked out, but who knows for how long. The last thing we need is them getting away."

Tie them up? Hook could do that. "You're the boss, Swan," he smirked, and decided to go for Greg first - since a fall from the height of the bridge was probably more apt to knock Tamara out for a while than whatever happened to Greg. When Hook reached the man he was conscious but barely, and so Killian just picked up a rock and did him a favor by knocking him out cold again. See, no harm done! He found some rope stashed in one of the trunks and did up Greg's feet and ankles in a splendid knot - one handed and using the hook. He was adept at such things by now.

Then the fairy dust was still in effect (for flight and for understanding Tinkerbell's fairy language - only the Lost Boys could do it without the aid of fairy dust) so he headed down with more rope to do the same to Tamara. After he rolled her over so she wasn't suffocated in the dirt, (wasn't he such a nice guy? Nevermind that she probably had a couple of broken bones) she also received the knot job. Done!

Tink started flying over the bridge, going into the landing across from where she was standing. Emma wasn't thrilled about having to cross the bridge, but if that's where Henry was, then it was what she had to do. She walked quickly but carefully, following the light of their fairy until she came upon an empty room. The only thing in it was Henry, sitting in a corner and tied up. They must have been pretty confident in themselves to leave him unattended. Or she was just about to get ambushed, so she worked quickly.

"Emma!" Henry yelled out. "Watch out!" One of the Lost Ones was behind her, but she gave him a swift kick in the knee, which sent him down, and then one to the face, which knocked him out. "Come on, kid. We don't have a lot of time. Everyone's waiting." Emma untied him and grabbed his hand, and they ran back the way that Emma had come, taking the same route Hook had showed her to getting in. Once they were back on the ground, Henry saw Regina and ran to her.

"Perfect timing, demon," Hook said to Rumpelstiltskin, who had appeared the same time as Regina. And from the looks of it, they got Henry back. "Let's get out of here before angry Lost Boys decide to chase us. I've got the magic beans, so..." But when the pouch he had stolen from Tamara was opened, there was nothing inside except for one dry, shriveled bean. _Damn_. And no Lake Nostos to bring back the vitality.

Tinkerbell flitted around, chiming away in her fairy-speak. _She_ might be able to help.

It was only a matter of time before a hoard of boys would be sprinting toward them, and Emma did not want to be standing there when they did. They needed to get back to the ship and get out of Neverland. Well...if they could get out of Neverland.

"Beans?" Emma asked, getting her hopes up. That would be way too easy, though. Nothing ever came easy to this group. When Hook opened the pouch, and she saw the shriveled bean in the palm of his hand, she sighed. "Great." She walked over and stood beside Henry and Regina.

Henry could tell that Tinkerbell was trying to communicate something, so he pointed at her and said, "Wait, what's she saying?"

Tinkerbell was having a right temper tantrum, stamping her little foot in the air as if she meant to make a point, and her tiny arms folded across her chest, nose turned up like the tart she was. "Alright, alright!" Hook sighed, and looked pointedly at her. "Well, if you would just let me get a word in edgewise...!" That caused her and her glowing fairy self to pout, but she stopped chirping just then. "She says that she will help us create a portal back to Storybrooke if someone goes with her to find Baelfire." The little fairy remembered Bae when he was a Lost Boy, and she wanted him back . Okay, so she wanted him for _herself_, but she didn't have to mention that part.

Emma was surprised by how annoying Tinkerbell was. She seemed like such a little brat, and she was glad that she couldn't understand what the little fairy was saying. When Baelfire was mentioned, Emma's face took on a look of confusion, wondering why the hell Tink wanted to find Neal. More things she didn't know about him. More things she would probably never be able to ask him. She wanted to mention that there was a possibility they wouldn't find Neal at all in the Enchanted Forrest and also a possibility that if they did find him, he'd be dead. She hoped for his sake that he had ended up somewhere with someone to take care of him. The thought of him laying in some distant land and dying alone made her feel like dying herself.

"How is she going to get to Bae?" That was Gold, who was in so many words volunteering to travel the realms to find his son...with Tinkerbell. Who was _irritating_. But it was something that had to be done.

After more chirping, Killian translated. "She said you're an ugly son of a bitch - "

"I swear to every God, pirate - "

"_Fine_. She said she can have the Shadow transport one person and her to the Enchanted Forest, and in exchange she'll use her fairy dust to bring the bean's vitality back for us to make a portal. We'll have to wait for nightfall, when the Shadow appears."

A little banter between Hook and Gold was always entertaining, and now Gold was offering to go and look for Neal with Tinkerbell. At least that was one less person they needed to worry about. Only downside was that they had to wait until it was night to get what they wanted, since Tink wasn't going to risk giving them the bean only to have everyone abandon her. Not that Gold would do that. He wanted to find his son. Emma almost wanted to tell him that she should be the one to go. After all, she could actually run from danger and what not. But she just got Henry back, and she actually wasn't very eager to leave Hook behind either.

"Will we be safe until then?" Snow asked. Emma didn't particularly want to see Neverland at night, but she had no choice.

"We'll stay on the Jolly Roger." Provided it was still docked where it had been that morning, but Hook was confident that it was. "And take shifts standing on guard. Or wobbling with a cane, as the case may be." Yes, that was a dig at Rumpelstiltskin but he had to get them all in now before the old man jumped realms to find Baelfire. The Shadow and Tinkerbell worked together quite often, so Killian was also sure that she could get the apparition to transport the precious cargo via flight - Air Shadow. It was one of the few ways to get out of Neverland.

But to answer Snow's question, "Yes, should be safe," the Captain nodded. "Charming, you can take first shift." He'd had a lot of practice at protecting people, being the excellent Sheriff's deputy that he was! "Now, let's head back, shall we? Tink, lead the way." Everyone had their stones but following the fairy's glowing ass like it was a beacon was infinitely easier.


	4. Chapter 4

_Put your lips close to mine _  
_As long as they don't touch _  
_Out of focus, eye to eye _  
_Till the gravity's too much _  
_And I'll do anything you say _  
_If you say it with your hands _  
_And I'd be smart to walk away, _  
_But you're quicksand_

_This slope is treacherous _  
_This path is reckless _  
_This slope is treacherous _  
_And I, I, I like it_

As much as Emma wanted to spend every minute with Henry, right now Regina was talking to him about something, and she didn't want to be the awkward third wheel mom, so she walked beside Hook. Her parents were ahead of them, leading the pack behind Tinkerbell, so she didn't have to worry about enduring their stares.

"Thanks," she murmured, still getting used to the whole being nice to the pirate thing. "For helping me get him back." She also wanted to tell him how worried she'd been when the gunshots were fired and they split up that something bad would happen to him. But she didn't quite know how to tell him that, so she refrained.

And Killian was still getting used to Emma _being_ nice to him but it was a nice switch, interesting all the same, and so he had just offered her a side-eyed glance of amusement, almost a smirk. But managed a "not a problem" anyway, even if he was uncomfortable with being _thanked_ - well, not exactly uncomfortable but certainly unaccustomed to such a thing. Most people didn't thank a pirate and had no reason to at that.

Then they were back on the ship - thank _fuck_ - and Charming would get to feel important by playing guard. Captain Hook would even give him a sword from his own personal collection to use as a weapon just in case, and Tinkerbell seemed intent on hovering up on deck, flitting about in a shimmering fairy glow as she zipped around and around to make sure everything was to _her_ satisfaction. The other magic users looked like they wanted to swat her (it was probably part of some magic war or whatever - Killian wasn't familiar with the specifics) but couldn't unless they wanted to forgo a way back home.

The walk back to the ship seemed a lot shorter than the walk there, but of course, on the way there they hadn't had a magical fairy. Everyone crowded onto the ship, and Emma wanted a moment with Hook before the task of waiting for nightfall began. They wouldn't get another chance to be alone until after the portal was open and they were on their way back. "I need to talk to you." She knew everyone was looking at her, but it didn't matter. The look she was giving him got the message across pretty well.

"Ah, do you now?" Killian chuckled at the request but followed her anyway. Henry had Regina to help keep him busy. Maybe it was just exciting enough for the young lad to actually _be_ on Captain Hook's ship. "Where shall we go?" he asked expectantly.

Emma hated that smirk that was evident in his voice. No, actually she loved it, but it pissed her off at the same time. "Where else?" she said as they walked out of ear shot of everyone else. Sure, they could just go below deck and be out of sight, but there was always a possibility that someone would come looking for them.

She led him back to his quarters, shutting the door once he was inside with her. "You honestly are an infuriating man!" She hadn't planned on yelling at him, but her emotions were all mixed up, and she wasn't used to feeling like this. "One minute you're pissing me off, and the next all I want to do is kiss you."

My word, Emma Swan! Killian flashed a grin at the feisty blonde, murmuring a, "quite passionate," as he said to her once before, and moved closer to her in two strides. His arm slipped around her waist, yanking her toward him so her chest collided with his and knocked the breath out of the both of them. "You could work with that," he said with confidence, the other hand, the hook, trailing down the front of her and hovering just above her shirt, like he was debating where to slip the weapon to tear her clothing off. "Angry kissing...you know I like it a bit rough."

But how had he made her angry? The Lord only knew. "Tell me, Swan, what is it I've done this time? Do share with me. I remain curious and waiting with bated breath." Or she could just kiss him. He'd be fine with that, too.

Emma resisted the urge to bite her lip, knowing it would give away what she was feeling as he drug his hook over her skin. This wasn't exactly how she saw this going, but the sexual frustration from not being able to touch him like this all day was finally showing. And how had he made her angry? That was the best part. She had no idea.

She opened her mouth like she was going to say something, but nothing came out because there was nothing to tell, and she just shook her head and closed the gap between them. Emma's lips pressed hard to his, her mouth moving with his, her tongue finding his, and she could feel herself relaxing instantly. She brought one of her hands up to wrap around the hook, keeping it from digging into her skin.

A sound of surprise rumbled in his throat because even if he had wanted Emma to do that, he still hadn't all the way expected it, especially with the force that she used. But Killian caught on quickly. His hand grasped the side of her face, cupping her cheek and prying her mouth open with his, ravenous and starved. He bit her lower lip, edging her in a retreat a few steps - her back hit the wall and a painting rattled; he didn't care which one.

"I have half a mind to fuck you right here," the Captain informed her, hooked hand going behind _his_ back in some show of chivalry. He'd get rid of the metallic appendage in a moment. "Or maybe tie you up, show off my knot skills, have my way with you," he smirked. Well, the Shadow would take his sweet time - no one knew when he'd grace the ship with his presence!

Emma made a noise as she hit the wall, leaning her head back as the kiss ended. She supposed they had time to have a little more fun. After all, they were just going to be waiting around for the rest of the evening, and it wasn't like they could pull out their cell phones and play games. Not in this world.

"Then do it," Emma challenged him, surprising herself. Hook tying her up sounded weirdly erotic, and she knew no matter what that the sex would be amazing. "Tie me up..." she started slowly, pausing for effect, staring into his deep blue eyes. "...and fuck me." Their bodies were already pressed together. There was no way either of them could say no now.

Oh, _guh_. Emma Swan, certified tease and temptress. She didn't have to ask Killian twice. Her shirt was grabbed and yanked off of her, up over her head before the poor unfortunate bra was unhooked to get her completely topless, and after he pushed back from the wall, he pulled her with him. Actually, Hook just about scooped her up and tossed the precious cargo on his sheets - barely cooled from the night before - so eager was he! "I will, darling," he promised, humming in thought as he procured pieces of hemp rope - it was soft enough to not leave a burn, since he didn't want to cause pain, and on a ship he didn't exactly have silk ties at his disposal. This would work just fine.

Emma was pretty much giving him full rein to do whatever he wanted to her. She was not a trusting person, but at that point in time, she really wanted to be. Not just in the bedroom, but she wanted to trust Hook in general, wanted to believe that she could and not have to wonder if she was making a mistake. If she defended him in front of her parents when that conversation eventually happened, she didn't want to have to eat her words later.

Once she was on the bed, Emma watched Hook with anticipation as he gathered the rope.

Crawling up over her on his bed, he began a brief knot-tying lesson. "We call this the handcuff knot," he said importantly, a knee on either side of her as he looped the rope around her wrists, so quickly you almost forgot he only had one hand, and looped some more, twisting and turning in a blur until he had both wrists bound and pinned back behind her head. Not too tight but nothing that would be easy to squirm out of either. Amazing he managed to work so accurately when she was half-naked beneath him. "You look exquisite, Emma." Vulnerable, at his mercy...yes, he could get used to this.

She gave him her wrists and smirked as he tied them together and moved them back over her head. "Do I?" She eyed his clothes, which were still fully on, and she shook her head. "Do I get to admire a view as well, or are you going to make me wait?" She'd done quite a bit of teasing and wouldn't mind if he was going to return the favor. Though she also wouldn't mind if he took his shirt off first.

"Hmmmmmmmmmm..." Killian drew out the hum on purpose, of course, the hook tapping upon the sheets then over his own buttons, like he was going to rip them off entirely. It actually wasn't far from the truth. "I had no idea you admired the view so much, Swan. I'm quite flattered." But as flattered as he was, deliberately slow he went. The belt around the waistcoat, the snaps and buttons, the vest and everything underneath, it was all unfastened - just to give her a view - but not removed yet. That would come eventually. However, Hook planned to get Emma naked right away. _He_ wanted skin and a view of her as he got her more and more turned on. The bottom portion of her clothing came off next, as he lifted her hips to help it along and then discarded everything.

"You should be flattered." Emma couldn't stop smirking as he undid everything enough to open his shirt up and let her see him without actually taking it off. She lifted her hips slightly to aid him in taking off everything she was wearing on the bottom half of her body, now completely naked and vulnerable, just the way she knew he wanted it.

"You _are_ so beautiful," he murmured appreciatively, eyes raking up and down her form. "Especially when you lose control of yourself." It was an experience he'd be apt to repeat, he thought, as he ran his fingers across her breast, moving closer to her nipple but swirling around the edge without touching it to build anticipation. With the hook, he dragged the unsharp side of it so _carefully_, carefully, down her chest and stomach, the cool metal meeting warm skin in a slow, smooth trek.

When Hook called her beautiful, Emma didn't even know what to say. Sure he had insinuated that she was attractive, but actually hearing the word _beautiful_ was something else entirely. It meant more somehow. She would try to remember to thank him later for it because right now, it didn't suit the mood. She inhaled when his fingers found her breast and again when he touched her with the hook. That damn thing. She should have been terrified of it, but she liked when he used it this way. "Do make me lose control again then." She knew he wouldn't give in that easy, but she was already starting to lose her mind and he'd barely touched her yet.

The contrast of hot and cold, the metal of the hook on Emma's skin, made for an excellent tool to get her to that point of losing control, and Killian knew it, too. It was why he continued, especially with dragging it along sensitive areas - her lower stomach, along her inner thigh, higher and higher but without touching more intimate areas. Though he came close. "Oh, I think I might," he murmured darkly, cupping her breast and slipping the very tip of her nipple between his lips - teasing with firm circular motions, up and down, and he even blew a cool stream of air on it before sweeping his tongue over the hardened flesh. The other nipple received the same attention, slow and torturous.

Emma squirmed as the hook touched lower and lower on her body. She tried to keep still, but it was difficult. It was even more difficult once his mouth was on her nipple. Her whole body was dying to be touched and kissed, and the most that she could do with her hands tied was arch her back.

"Now, darling..." Switching 'hands' so to speak, he held his first and second fingers in a V and headed south in between her thighs, placing them on either side of her center of pleasure, and massaged in a scissoring motion around her clit without going for direct contact. "I think you should tell me how badly you want me to do it, though. What if you're lying?"

Of course she wasn't, but that wasn't the _point_.

A frustrated groan escaped at the feeling of his fingers not touching where she wanted. "Lying?" Well, wasn't he hilarious. "I promise you I want it. And now would be better than later, if you don't mind." She only looked at him for a moment before laying her head back down on the bed and staring up at the ceiling. As long as he didn't stop doing _something_, then she could handle some teasing, but she couldn't promise that she'd stay still or quiet.

He liked when she squirmed. It was so..._tantalizing_, the act of getting her there. And the frustration he could hear in the sounds she made, all because he felt like being a tease, was the cherry atop this decadent sundae. How would it be if the positions were reversed? It was possible Hook wouldn't be as patient - or quiet - but he'd be quite up for a role reversal. You know, equality in the bedroom - not to mention he was the type to like it as much as he could get it, however and wherever, _especially_ when it involved Emma.

"If I don't mind?" he repeated, shifting to slant his mouth over hers - starting kisses there and trailing down with a predatory scrape of teeth. His now-slicked fingers at least gave her what she wanted, in side-to-side motions, feeling out the soft bud of her clit. But eventually he had to remove his own clothes and give in to her apparent visual wants - the top half came off completely (and the hook - unless she begged for it again, oh ho) along with the trousers that were becoming uncomfortable anyway.

The combination of his teeth and his fingers were driving Emma wild, and she used as much strength as she could to stay still. The sounds that came out of her mouth were a good indication of that, though when he stopped, she let out a sigh of disappointment. It was involuntary. One moment she was feeling an intense pleasure and the next, it was gone. But now he was removing his own clothes, and that was what she really wanted.

"That's more like it," she commented, watching him intently. She wanted to lean up and kiss him at the point when he was finally as naked as she was, but she couldn't really move, so she just continued giving him the same lustful look that he was giving her. She had completely forgotten about what he was doing before and just wanted him inside her again.

Her body stretched taut beneath him like this, he wanted to fuck her now; watching her get turned on was a treat too, but being inside of her was better. "How flexible are you, darling?" he inquired, hand sliding up under one of her legs along smooth muscle and skin.

"How flexible do you want me to be?" She enjoyed answering his questions with questions. She liked challenging him and making it feel like a game. Emma certainly wasn't going to complain about whatever position it was that Hook wanted her to be in for him.

"So cheeky, aren't you?" Killian smirked, but he supposed they'd find out how bendy the blonde really was in a moment here. He had a feeling that she could handle it, being in the _exquisite_ shape that she was. The one leg he was holding went up on his shoulder - the other leg followed suit while he knelt over her, a knee on either side of her waist. From here, it was quite simple, really. All he had to do was lean forward and completely ravish her.

By now Emma knew he was about ninety percent roughness and ten percent actual tenderness, and it was with a sort of delicious chunk of that ninety percent that he rocked forward and pushed inside of her, a groan bubbling up from his throat. His eyes had been closed to allow for just sensation and feeling but the view from here was rather nice - Emma stretched out like this, tied up, hands above her head. He may as well appreciate it.

Emma simply smirked in response to his question. She knew that it was going to drive her crazy to have her legs like that and her hands tied up and not be able to do anything but lay there and take what he was giving her. Not that she minded; she did not mind one bit, but that didn't make it any easier for her to handle. She knew damn well that Hook liked it rough, and she was all too happy to oblige.

She cried out loudly, practically feeling like she was going explode the second that he thrust into her. In a good way, of course. Emma's hands struggled against the rope a bit, and she just couldn't keep them still. The way her legs were didn't allow for her to move her hips much either, so she really was at the Captain's mercy. "You're so fucking..." Emma started to say, being interrupted by a moan and needing to close her eyes for a moment. "...ugh." She couldn't even finish her sentence because it was hard to do much other than utter a bunch of noises when her mouth opened.

Oh, this was grand. _So_ grand. Hook relished being in control, being in the driver's seat when it came to the speed and how hard he went inside of Emma, the force at which he made good on his promise to tie her up and fuck her so hard she was seeing stars...well, he hadn't promised _that_ but it was something he planned to do anyway. To steady the movement, he rested his hand atop her thigh, concentrating on nothing else but the manic grind of his hips and what he was doing to her - the way her fingers could only grasp themselves, the bounce of her breasts, the undignified noises she made. These were all prime focus points for the dirty pirate (and that was one distinction from Gold that wasn't entirely inaccurate). Other than how good she felt, of course.

"I'm so fucking you, Emma," he rasped, with a flash of teeth in a shit-eating grin for barely a second. "And let me just say...it feels _fantastic_. Did you have anything else to add?" Go on and tell him, while he was right in the middle of a hard thrust; if he could have fucked her straight through the abused mattress, he would have.

Emma _wished_ that she could respond, but she knew it was hopeless. No coherent sentences would be coming out of her mouth until later, after Hook had finished the job. He was quite close to doing that already. No, only moans that told him just how amazing he was at making her feel like the whole world was blazing were his answers.

She held on as long as she could manage, but the harder he thrust into her, the harder it was to keep from going over the edge. She came almost violently, her whole body shaking as her muscles spasmed around him. It was certainly more intense than the previous night had been, and she couldn't wait to explore the rest of the possibilities sex had in store for them one of these days.

After the shaking was over, Emma lay there limp on the bed, not even caring about her hands being tied anymore or anything else for that matter. She had no idea how she was going to walk back out there and be around her family like she hadn't just been fucked to the nines by Hook. This would certainly be an interesting evening.

Killian's temperature sky rocketed, he let out a growl of something - lust, impatience, anything - but then he felt Emma's release, which is what he wanted, and it triggered his own. There was the chaotic sizzle of his brainwaves, the sound of her name echoing around in there, blood in his ears as loud as a freight train and wind whooshing past to scald each and every nerve. And he didn't bother to sink his teeth into the flesh of his lip or try to muffle the urge to groan. No, he just let it _all_ go, warmth intermingling with her own.

_Then_ his muscles and bones turned to porridge. But still? He managed to move so she didn't have to be limber anymore, legs falling on the bed on either side of him, and in one shaky motion he lurched forward to untie her wrists. She hadn't managed to break out of her bonds, but she had done a lot of twisting - and besides, Hook wanted her hands free now anyway.

"Are you kidding me?" was all she said, letting out a breath. He just kept surprising her.

"Kidding you about what?" he asked, collapsing beside her to rest for a moment. "Do I look like I'm kidding about anything right now?"

Emma massaged her wrists once Hook untied her. They were red, but it was nothing that wouldn't go away, luckily. That was the last thing that she needed. Rope burns to explain to her parents _and_ now to her son. Her breathing was finally returning to normal now, and she twisted in the sheets, turning to look at the handsome pirate laying beside her, his hair a bit of a mess from sweat and exertion.

"I just meant..." Emma ran her fingers through the front of his hair, putting it back in place. "...that it was amazing. That you're...amazing." She said the last part quietly, still getting used to dishing out the compliments for him, though she meant it. He should have been able to tell by the look in her eyes that she meant it. The silence after she said that was unnerving, and she turned away from him to look up at the ceiling, telling herself that it was stupid to open herself up to him. She was trying very hard to trust him, but it was difficult.

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**AN: Next one picks up directly where this one left off! Thanks for all the favorites/follows (: **


	5. Chapter 5

_I'm under your skies _  
_I'm caught in your eyes _  
_Don't you know you stop the room _  
_And all that I can see is you _  
_I'm standing where the lightning strikes _  
_I know this doesn't happen twice _  
_You must be my once in a lifetime_

The way Emma fixed his hair made Killian squint with pleasure - probably similar to how he looked before - and he shifted closer to her to ensnare her, to tuck her against him. If he was quiet after she spoke it was only because he wasn't expecting such a compliment from her, but there were a lot of things about this arrangement that were new for him, too. However, change didn't always have to be bad.

"You're amazing, darling," he murmured by her ear, fingertips drumming a nonsensical pattern upon her hip, moving up over her ribcage - not exactly tickling, but. The pirate was badly behaved, what of it? "Really. So amazing I'll let you do what you want to me, even return the favor. Of course, it might be difficult to tie a man's hands when he's only got one, but we can pretend I can't escape easily, hm?" he teased, nibbling on the spot just under her ear.

Hearing the compliment returned made her smile, feeling like a high school girl with her first crush. Hook certainly was something. Emma couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of trying to tie him up with only one hand, though she was sure they could come up with something. "As much as I'd like to tie you up and suck your dick right now, I think we're going to have a search party come after us if we don't go back up soon." But the way he was nibbling beneath her ear made her not want to be anywhere else besides in his bed and in his arms. "But maybe just a little bit longer."

She hadn't had the chance to kiss him for a while, so she was taking full advantage now, turning her face so his lips were now pressed to hers instead of under her ear. Instead of kisses filled with lust, she gave him kisses filled with tenderness, really showing him that he meant a lot to her.

Killian was rather comfortable here too, and he didn't much feel like moving, even though he would have to in order to make sure that the portal was created and everyone minus Rumpelfucker was able to return to Storybrooke. As far as what would happen with Tamara and Greg after that, well, he hoped he didn't have to deal with them for a _long_ time. But good luck to them at trying to get out of Neverland - there weren't exactly many ways to accomplish that.

The mention of sucking his dick while he was tied up caused a snort of a laugh to escape him. "You have such a mouth on you, Swan," he said, sounding amused enough at it (she was especially gorgeous when she was dirty...!), but was content to lie here and kiss that mouth of hers as long as he felt like it. Had they ever even had a kiss like this before? Not that he didn't enjoy the others, but the slow ones, where he got lost and drowned in everything about her, they were so consuming - and Hook was rusty at these types of kisses anyway. At first he may have actually seemed timid before the ice melted off, and he eased into it, because he knew about rough sex and animalistic everything but tenderness was something else entirely.

It was what he had been missing for so long and what he was searching for. "Emma," he sighed her name, kissing her bottom lip, then the top one and then both.

Just these simple kisses were leaving Emma quite breathless. Her stomach was erupting with butterflies, and she pulled back only enough to look him in the eyes and say his name as well. "Killian," she breathed, using his first name for the first time, well, ever. He'd introduced himself using it once, but she'd taken to calling him Hook as it suited him far better in every situation they'd ever been in together; however, in that moment, it didn't suit him at all. She wanted to use his name.

Emma was honestly afraid that she was going to end up saying too much about how she felt right then, so she kept her mouth shut. She ran her fingers through his hair again, biting her lip, but a smile peeked through. He was gorgeous, and right now he was hers.

The use of his name had a shiver running through him, zinging up and down his spine, an odd feeling of _warmth _that had nothing to do with lust or pheromones or other such things. A half smile, somewhat lazy but satisfied, twisted his lips upward and he nuzzled (yes, Captain Hook knew how to _nuzzle_? A miracle) Emma's cheek with his nose, nudging there fondly; he was actually caught in 'high school crush' mode even if he'd have never called it that. Really, he just felt like he had been waiting so long for her to come along and pull him away from the black hole that was his life.

"What are you smiling at?" he mumbled drowsily, eyes slitting into half moons, struggling to stay open. When they got back to Storybrooke he'd sleep a long time and - oh fuck, _what_ was he going to do in Storybrooke? It was mildly terrifying, and he sort of assumed he'd go with Emma, since she said she wanted him for...more than a night? Yes?

It could have turned out different. They could have just fucked each other once and realized that that was all there was between them. But the feelings were still there, and she could tell he was realizing that as well. "At you, pirate." Of course she had to counteract the use of his name with a little teasing. That part of their relationship would never change. "You can sleep if you want, you know. I can come get you when and if that _thing_ ever shows up for Gold." She'd stay with him until he fell asleep if he wanted. It was going to be a long night anyway, and Emma was used to getting no sleep since before she even moved to Storybrooke...but especially since she moved to Storybrooke.

Thinking about Hook _staying_ in Storybrooke made Emma happy, but she didn't know if that was really what he wanted, if he could be happy there? She knew no one else would be a fan of it, but she couldn't imagine him going off on his ship and leaving her behind. Who knew when the next time she would see him again would be if that happened? They'd figure something out. They had to.

"Well, I'm flattered to be on the receiving end of one of your rare smiles, Swan," the pirate remarked, more like mumbling against her skin. Gods above, he was starting to feel the effects of fatigue - finally, after however many hours of not sleeping. "Such a pretty smile it is."

He would take Emma up on her offer. Thus, he burrowed closer to her, sort of unconsciously, keeping her in his arms - and planned to, unless she decided to move on her own. "Wake me in an hour or so, so I can check things up on deck. Charming doesn't want to guard all night, I imagine." Then, dark lashes fluttered closed, and he was on his way to a somewhat peaceful sleep.

"Okay," Emma replied quietly, kissing his forehead as he drifted off to sleep. She stayed for a few more minutes, but she knew that she needed to get back to Henry. She'd been gone long enough. It wasn't easy to get out of his arms, but she managed to do it without disturbing him. After getting all of her clothes back on, she stood by the bed and watched Hook sleep for a moment before finally pulling herself away and going back out into the Neverland air.

No one asked her where she was, but she could tell from the looks she got from everyone except Henry that they were curious. _Great_. She sat down with Henry, away from everyone else, and listened to him tell her about what happened after Tamara and Greg took him through the portal. An hour passed and then almost two before Emma remembered she was supposed to wake the sleeping pirate below deck. "Hey, I'll be right back, okay?" She hurried down to the Captain's quarters, hating to wake Hook. She knew he had to be exhausted, especially since he was still fast asleep, but she also knew Charming would ask where he was sooner or later, so it was better to just get him up now.

"Time to get up," Emma said, shaking him slightly and when that didn't work, leaning down to kiss a line from his ear to his lips.

At first, Killian remained dead asleep - not exactly wanting to be roused - but then since the method of awakening him changed from shaking him to something more pleasant, he actually began to respond. "Mmmmpppphhhh," said the pirate and, well, it was a response lacking his usual cunning observations and sharpness but one all the same. His lips found Emma's and he kissed her a few times, the length and intensity growing the more awake he became.

His hand curled around the back of her neck, electric blue eyes finally appearing when the cage of his lashes groggily fluttered open. "Did you see your boy?" he wanted to know, since Emma was dressed and had probably gone up on deck to check in with Henry. Hopefully, he was doing alright, and also hopefully, Rumpelstiltskin hadn't exploded anything.

Or actually, maybe he should be more worried about Tinkerbell.

"Yeah, I did." Emma smiled as she thought about it. She was glad to have Henry back, and she intended to keep him safe now. Of course it wasn't completely her fault what happened to him, but she still blamed herself. It shouldn't have happened. "I think David would appreciate a break, though, if you think you can pull yourself away from me for a while." She kissed him one more time before getting up to grab his clothes off the floor and start tossing them at him on the bed to speed up the process. If she left, who knew how long it would take him. Not that she could blame him; she'd been pretty exhausted after their day of trampling through Neverland and then the fun they'd had afterward, but she couldn't give herself time to relax just yet.

"_If_ I can...I don't think I can," Killian smirked, but with Emma tossing his clothes at him, that was probably indication that he needed to be arsed to try. Well, _alright_. There were still things to do before she could rest, but he would see to it that she did once...they got to wherever _they_ were going. Still a terrifying thought, but he'd deal with that later. One step at a time.

Like trousers, for one. He began to get dressed and also reattached the hook to his hand once he had his waistcoat and vest back on. "Alright, back on deck." But first he grabbed Emma and gave her one last kiss for now - since he didn't know when he'd get to again - and made his way back to the helm, now that it was well into darkness, to take his sword from Charming and stand guard.

It looked like Charming wanted to stab him with that sword but he remained civil enough, despite the tick of a muscle in his jaw. Tinkerbell zipped around, sprinkling fairy dust on Hook, and he brushed the flecks of pink from his hair while grumbling. "I'll call for you lot once the Shadow arrives, if anyone wants to rest. I think there's even a barrel of rum somewhere," he offered mysteriously. Better get that drink in while you still could!

That last kiss hung on Emma's lips well after it ended because she knew it would be awhile before she felt his lips on hers again. It was an unusual situation to be in because she was torn between wanting to be with Hook and wanting to give all of her attention to Henry. She wasn't expecting there to be a distraction from her son, but now there was. Not that it was truly a distraction, just a new person in her life to care about and give a part of herself to. She wasn't used to that, and she knew Hook wasn't either.

After Charming and Hook switched places, Emma tried to avoid eye contact with her father, but she knew that he was dying to bring up what he was thinking. There were too many people around for him to do so, however. Namely, Henry, Regina, and Gold. No, he'd wait until it was just him, Emma, Hook, and Snow. Then he'd really give Hook a piece of his mind. Living in close quarters on a ship was not the best way to have a 'secret' relationship, but it wasn't like they planned for it to happen.

The later it got, the more Emma thought that this Shadow wasn't going to come. Henry had fallen asleep on her, and she was well on her way to falling asleep as well, even though she was fighting hard to stay alert in case something happened.

Hook was up the mast, the tall tower, with his telescope to purposely watch the skies even though Tinkerbell was flitting about and could fly higher than he could see anyway. He did it mostly to _not_ give in to the urge to be around Emma and pull her into a dark corner for naughty business but also to give her some time with Henry since she seemed to be needing it. It was late, and he kept an eye on the north star which seemed to wink and smile at him - actually, in Neverland, the stars were alive, so it wouldn't be too much of a stretch.

Then, he saw them. Two bright glowing eyes in pitch darkness, weaving in and out, and Tinkerbell began to chime loudly in her fairy-speak. Hook climbed down from the mast, calling for the others, "He's here! Back up on deck!" because it was time for Rumpelfucker to say goodbye. And good riddance, as far as Hook was concerned.

It all happened very quickly. The Shadow paused long enough for Tinkerbell to flutter beside him, and tell him who his passenger would be. Of course, he didn't like it, but Tinkerbell was calling the shots so there was nothing to be done about it besides transport the Dark One as planned. When Tinkerbell was _sure_, she chimed again to ask Killian for the bean. He held it out in the palm of his hand and she sprinkled gold fairy dust upon it - a moment later, it began to glow blue, which signaled it was in use. Or about to be.

"Stand back," Killian warned, and tossed the bean into the ocean. It exploded in a swirling vortex of a portal, the ocean waves churning faster and faster until their escape back to Storybrooke started to radiate a bright green glow.

When Hook started shouting, Emma's head shot back upright and she was finally fully awake. She stood up with Henry, watching with everyone else as Tinkerbell turned the bean back to its magical self and then flew away with the Shadow and Rumpelstiltskin. Well, that was that. Now they could get out of Neverland for good and go back to Storybrooke. What would happen there was yet to be determined, but at least they would be safe. For now.

Once the bean was thrown into the ocean, everyone grabbed onto something for the ride through the portal. It had been pretty brutal last time around, and Emma didn't exactly want to get thrown off. She grabbed onto one of the ropes with one hand, and her other hand found Hook's. Everyone was standing in different areas of the ship, and the winds made it pretty impossible to look around much, so she didn't think anyone would notice. And besides, he made her feel safe. Once they were through and the waters began to calm, she was forced to let go with both hands, giving him a small smile to more or less say that she was sorry she couldn't just stay with him. It was back to her parents and Henry while the Captain steered the ship back to the dock.

Sailing a ship through a portal was no picnic, but since Hook had just done this he was confident it would be alright this go at it, too. Of course, having Emma this close by was a better addition - he only had enough time to give her hand a squeeze before they emerged through the bean portal and were sucked back into Storybrooke, waves crashing against the side of the Jolly Roger.

Quickly, Killian went to the helm to steer, sparing a glance at Emma as she joined her parents and Henry. Regina was still around here somewhere too, but whether or not she would be welcomed back with the family was a whole other issue. In fact, when Hook dropped the anchor by the dock, and went to let down the ramp so his passengers could walk off, he noticed that the Queen hung back too, a stony look on her face. Where would they both go from here?

"Welcome back home, I suppose," he said to Emma, heading toward her to say...goodbye? He didn't _want_ to leave, but where else would he go? Would he even stay here? So far, she hadn't asked, but if he was going to leave, he'd have to find another way to make a portal. Or he could just sail the Land Without Magic, and see where it would lead him.

As everyone made their way off the ship, Emma knew what was coming. She hung back for a moment, waiting for Regina to get off before turning to Hook. "You can go if you want to, but I'm not ready to say goodbye, okay?" Her eyes were pleading with him to stay, even if she was trying to keep her face neutral, and she didn't wait for him to say anything, just walked down onto the dock with everyone else. Now the real fun would begin, and she didn't want Henry around for it. "Regina, can you take him back to your house?" Emma asked quietly. "I think he'd want to spend some time with you, and I'll come and get him tomorrow." Normally, she would never be that nice when it came to Regina, but she knew Henry loved her and still considered her his mom, too. It was the right thing to do. Plus, she didn't want him around when her parents went crazy. Charming was dying to speak up, and she knew it. _Everyone_ knew it.

After the two of them had gone, Snow was the first to say something when she saw Hook approaching instead of just staying on his ship. "Emma, what is going on? Why have the two of you been spending so much time together?" she asked in a hushed tone to her daughter. It wasn't an easy question to answer, but it looked like Emma wouldn't even get a chance to open her mouth. Her father was staring down the pirate like a hawk who just found his prey and was about to strike.

Oh, Snow. Bless her and her naive heart. It wasn't as if Killian could say 'well, princess, I've been fucking your daughter - and the sex is fantastic, actually' but he had to say _something_. He couldn't just stand there and let Charming take a swing at him for no reason (Hook would prefer he have confirmation first...!) or let Emma feel so uncomfortable she wished for another portal to open up and drag her away.

"Emma..." he started, meeting her eyes with a look of pain in his, of confusion, because he wasn't ready to say goodbye either but everything had happened so _quickly_, turning the past 300 years all on its head and changing everything he had ever known about himself and what he truly wanted.

What he truly wanted was her, and he knew that. Even if it terrified the hell out of him.

"We're...involved," he answered, his arm going protectively around Emma; hopefully, Charming wouldn't have a stroke. "Or actually, it's a bit complicated but we're working it out and don't look at me like that, Charming, I promise you I'm going to take more than excellent care of your little girl."

"_Involved_?" Charming repeated incredulously. "Emma, what..?" Snow had better come and hold him steady so he didn't collapse. They just got their grandson back from psychopaths and now their daughter was _involved_ with a pirate, so soon after Neal's death? Or maybe she was just using Hook for physical things, to cope with the pain. Right. Oh wait, Charming didn't want to know about that either. _Guh_.

Well, at least no one had been punched in the face yet. "I don't...know!" was Emma's response to her father's open ended question and incredulous stare. "Why does there have to be an explanation?" Emma knew it couldn't be easy to swallow this information. No one trusted Hook, and Emma was supposed to be good at judging people's character, so why would she be getting involved with a pirate? As for Neal...he was gone. Whether he was dead or not, he wasn't here, and he hadn't wanted her while he was here until the very second before he let go of her hand.

"Emma, honey, are you serious about this? Can you give us one good reason why this isn't a terrible idea?" Snow was basically pleading with Emma to change her mind and tell them that this was some sort of joke. Meanwhile, Charming really looked like he was going to blow a fuse when Hook put his arm around Emma, and he started moving forward with a balled up fist before his daughter stepped in the way.

"Whoa!" If they wanted an answer, Emma would give them an answer. Anything to make them calm down and see things from her perspective. "You want to know why I don't think this is a bad idea? He understands me. He understood me without even really knowing me. It's one of those things you just...feel. You have every right to judge him, but it isn't going to make me feel any differently." She then looked directly at Charming. "Hitting him isn't going to change anything either."

Killian braced himself for yet _another_ punch in the face from so-called Prince Charming, but luckily Emma deflected that before it got too out of hand. A brawl by the docks was pretty much the last thing he wanted to deal with right now. "Put that away, Charming, it will _upset_ her," he said, nodding toward the man's white-knuckled fist. Hook was met with a scowl in return, but at least Charming retreated a few steps and didn't go through with the uppercut to the jaw.

"Emma, he's double-crossed you and everyone else," David insisted, trying to get her to see reason. Of course, Hook also helped them all to get Henry back when they needed the assistance (and the vessel) but that didn't mean he was ready to accept this _whatever_ between the pirate and his daughter. Could he really have the motivation, now of all times, to want to put his quest for revenge behind him in favor of a relationship with Emma? It seemed hard to believe. "We don't want to see you hurt again," he added in a low voice, glancing from Snow back to Emma. "But if it's really what you want..."

Well. He supposed he couldn't really get in the way, even if he didn't like it one bit.

"It _is_ what I want," Emma said definitively. That was one question she could answer. The last thing Snow wanted was to alienate Emma after not getting to see her for 28 years of her life, so she decided to drop it for now. She didn't like it any more than Charming did, but there was nothing they could do about it except watch it crash and burn because they were absolutely convinced that that was what was going to happen. They just hoped for Emma's sake that she would come to her senses before that happened.

"Come on, let's give them some space," Snow said, taking Charming's arm and leading him away. He did not want to go willingly, and it took some dragging before he gave in and finally turned around to walk back into town.

After her parents had gone, Emma didn't even know what to say to Hook. She kind of just stood there, crossing her arms over her chest and staring off into the distance. He said he'd take care of her and that they were working it out. She believed him, which should have made it easier, but somehow it just didn't. If he wanted to stay, though, then she was going to work on being better for him.

Well, that was _awkward_, to say the least. Killian didn't expect to win the favor of Emma's parents so easily, however, so while the whole exchange was awkward it wasn't very surprising to see it happen. But Emma seemed to be going through some inner turmoil of her own, so Hook stepped closer to her and rested his hand on the small of her back, fingertips drumming lightly - eventually his touch migrated to her hip, using it to pull her against his side, and he kissed the top of her head despite the chilly air she was giving off.

"So. Storybrooke," he started, sounding curious - since before when he was here, he hadn't exactly planned to stay and had only come for one purpose, which was to skin himself a Crocodile. "There probably aren't very good taverns around here, are there?" he asked doubtfully. "Because I could certainly use a drink." And a bath, and a hot meal, and more time alone with Emma - among other things.

Emma turned to face Hook when he started talking, burying her face in his neck and wrapping her arms around him. She didn't answer him for what seemed like forever, but eventually she pulled her head back to look up at him. "I could definitely, definitely use a drink," Emma agreed, her hand finding his. "Let's go to The Rabbit Hole." Without further explanation, she started walking in the direction of town, leading the way. There was plenty they needed to figure out together, and it was a conversation that would go perfectly well with a beer or two.

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**AN: If you enjoy CS sex, the next chapter will make you happy. Thanks for all the reviews/favorites/follows! **


	6. Chapter 6

_It was always you_  
_Falling for me_  
_Now there's always time_  
_Calling for me_  
_I'm the light blinking at the end of the road_  
_Blink back to let me know_

"Don't worry, you won't run into anyone you don't want to see here," she said as they approached the door, pushing it open and looking around. No one looked particularly familiar to her, so she took a seat at the end of the bar and immediately ordered a beer. "So that was fun, huh?"

Ah, wasn't this a charming establishment? Killian followed along - Rabbit Hole, what a clever name - and sat beside Emma, settling on one of the stools. A beer, yes, he could go for some ale - and keep it coming. "What was fun, the impromptu trip back to Neverland wherein we were all nearly killed or officially landing on the bad side of your parents?" he asked cheekily, and when the beer came to him in its frosty mug he clinked the glass against hers. "Both were equally fun, I'd say, though I prefer other types of fun with you. Cheers, love."

This beer wouldn't last long. Especially if he drank it like he was, which was the equivalent of a man guzzling at an oasis in the desert.

Emma rolled her eyes at his mention of other types of fun. "Yeah, cheers." She was also drinking her beer quite furiously, needing to numb herself a bit from the adventure that they'd all just been on. It had been quite an interesting week in general, and this was the first taste of alcohol she'd had time to have. The rest of the night after they left the bar would certainly be an adventure in itself as well.

Her first drink empty minutes later, Emma signaled for a second and then turned her body so she was facing Hook. "I would say we should stay in Storybrooke, but I don't exactly think David and Mary Margaret would be too happy to have you as their guest, and the only other place to go would be Granny's...and I don't really see that happening either. So!" She took a break to give more attention to her beverage and then continued. "We can figure out what we want to do tomorrow, but tonight we're staying outside of town in the city. Unless you'd rather be alone, of course." Emma raised an eyebrow, sort of hinting that she still owed him from earlier.

Killian was well through his second drink as Emma talked about their options, and there was an upward poke-poke of his brows over the edge of his beer glass when she said they should go somewhere completely not within the wretched town anyway. Well, alright then! "You haven't got a place of your own, Swan? How else do you bring men back home with you?" he teased, but really, he didn't care where they went as long as he was with her. He also supposed going back to his docked ship was an option too, but a change of scenery wouldn't hurt and like she said, they could figure something out tomorrow.

"Long story, but no. I don't." Emma had moved in with Mary Margaret before the curse was broken and just stayed there afterward. It was quite crowded, but Storybrooke didn't have a lot of room for moving as everyone there never left. "Well, not here anyway. And I don't normally sleep with strange men. I made an exception for you." She smirked behind her beer mug. They could have just gone to the Jolly Roger, but Emma was also hoping for a shower and room service.

Har, har! Wasn't she hilarious? "I'm proud to be the exception," Killian noted with a smirk of his own, toasting her with his glass - that he had just about drained anyway. Only a few more swallows remained, and he downed them quickly. Ah, delicious ale. Next time he could go for a whole barrel of rum, but now he wanted to be coherent for whatever Emma planned to do with him whenever they got to...whichever inn they were going to. It would be an inn, wouldn't it? Hook hadn't spent much time in the 'modern' world, and when he did, it was with revenge-colored glasses - so seeing everything in red. Now, it was different. He actually found he was a bit curious about what this time period had to offer.

"I will follow you anywhere, m'lady," he grinned a bit, leaning forward to give her his word in a husky murmur. Oh, she _did_ owe him, didn't she? Naughty one that she was. "How will we get there?" Because he couldn't exactly fly them there and...right, she probably had one of those terrible automobiles, didn't she.

"I have a car. You know, one of those things that hit you and broke your ribs." The more she thought about it, the more Emma realized that there was no way they could walk into a nice hotel with Hook dressed like it was Halloween. They'd have to make a stop so she could get him some modern clothing. Convincing him to actually wear the clothing would be a fun task, but she'd just bribe him with sexual favors. And wouldn't tell him about it until they were on their way. "So when you're done, let me know."

"The ribs you pushed on to get information from me, while I lay broken in a hospital bed?" he quipped dryly, pushing the empty glass away. "I'm ready, darling, wherever you wish to go. Lead the way to your automobile even if I do hate those things."

"Yes, those ribs." Emma reached down to run her hand along his side while simultaneously finishing her beer off. Should she be driving? Legally, probably not. But she felt fine and didn't have to worry about Hook giving her a lecture since he had no idea what any of the laws were. "Alright, come on." She grabbed his hand, kissing him once on the lips. "And you can call it a car. I can spell it for you if you want." Emma with alcohol in her could not be tamed.

They walked through Storybrooke together, and Emma was glad that it was late and hardly anyone was out and about. When they approached her little yellow car, she had a momentary flashback to how she obtained it but pushed that out of her head quickly. The keys were on the floor of the driver's side as she wasn't afraid of anyone stealing it. There was no one going anywhere. "I promise it's not going to kill you," Emma said as she saw the look on Hook's face. After getting in, she waited for him to follow and then started it up, biting her lip against a laugh at how uncomfortable he looked.

"Oh, one more thing. You cannot wear that." As much as it suited him, she wanted him to look somewhat normal outside of Storybrooke. "So I'm buying you clothes. And you're gonna wear them."

This...car? He was supposed to get in it? It looked small and uncomfortable, but Hook only tossed Emma the slightest of incredulous glances before climbing into the passenger seat. He was taller than the space allotted and thus a bit squashed, so he figured out how to move the seat - and was flattened on his back when he moved the wrong lever, but pulling it again had him bolting upright with a scowl on his face. _Honestly_.

"It didn't kill me the first time, it won't _this_ time," he said, finally adjusting the right lever to push the seat back while leaving the top portion alone, and decided perhaps he'd buckle his seatbealt like Emma had done. Great, now he was restrained. "...clothes?"

Did she just say he couldn't wear his standard pirate garb?! But..._why_? Alright, he understood why, but still. It was almost painful to hear. "What sort of clothes?" Killian asked suspiciously. "Nothing ugly, I hope?"

Emma actually did laugh now. "I don't know what clothes yet, but they won't be ugly. I mean, I have to look at you in them." She didn't know exactly where they were going, but she had somewhat of an idea. Well, she knew where the hotel was but had no clue where she was going to get him clothes from, so she just drove around once they got outside of Storybrooke, looking for somewhere to stop. Hook was an amusing companion to drive around, and she could tell he was relieved when she finally parked the car outside of a store. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere."

Don't go anywhere. Right. Where in the _hell_ would he even go? Hook didn't know this city, wherever they were here in the Land Without Magic, so he was fine with just sitting in the car and lamenting the loss of his clothing...couldn't he just keep the leather jacket? Maybe that and only that? He was going to keep _that_, at least! Pout, pout, pout. There wasn't much to look at from this vantage point in the car so he just slumped in the seat and waited sort of patiently for Emma to return.

How exactly did you go about shopping for a pirate? Emma had no idea, but she then remembered that she was not supposed to be shopping for a pirate, just a guy. She figured he'd be most comfortable in black, so that's what she got: black jeans, black t-shirt, and a black dress shirt because she didn't think he'd want to be out anywhere without his hook if he didn't have a long-sleeved shirt on. See, she was trying to be considerate.

When she returned to the car, she gave him the bag. The car was too small for him to actually change without getting out, so she drove around the back of the building where it was dark and parked again. "You'll have to change here. Don't worry, I won't watch," she teased, leaning over to give him a kiss. "I know you're not happy about this, but...you can take them off when we get inside anyway."

Emma seemed eager to get him naked. Or at least into proper clothing, because she drove them behind the bloody building. But he kissed her back, hand running over his facial scruff before he pulled the handle on the door to get out of the car. A good thing was that she wasn't asking him to shave. Because no matter what he did, he always had a five o'clock shadow anyway.

But dutifully, he put on what she gave him - the fabric of the trousers was strange to feel, he had never seen anything like it before except on Emma, but it was actually comfortable the more he moved around in it. "What are these made of?" he asked when he climbed back into the car. The dress shirt, at least, was made of cotton - and the thinner shirt he wore underneath - but the trousers were something else entirely.

"Yes, let's go so I can take them off," he added with a pinched expression. "I feel so...naked anyway."

Lucky for him, she liked his facial hair and wasn't planning on making him get rid of it. Just his pirate clothing. And that hook that would probably get him arrested. Emma had to admit, though, when he got back into the car, that she hardly recognized him, having never seen him wearing anything quite like that before. "Denim," she answered in response to what the jeans were made out of. "It has to be more comfortable than what you were wearing before." She lived in jeans these days. "But you look good, so..." Emma shrugged as she turned the car around and headed for a hotel, and knowing that Hook had never been in one before, it would certainly be interesting.

The hotel wasn't huge, but it also wasn't small. After living on a ship for a couple of days, she was more than willing to splurge and get a nice room so that she could shower without worrying about bugs and other gross things that liked to infest the smaller motels. "You're gonna have to take that off, too, you know." Emma eyed the hook, knowing he was not going to be happy about that either, but what could she do? "Or hide it, if you can, but if anyone sees it, they're going to think you're psychotic." Instead of waiting in the car and watching him do it, she got out and let him figure out what he wanted to do about it alone. She leaned against the hood of the car and stared ahead until he was ready to go in.

Well, yes, Killian had spent time in Storybrooke without the hook - not really of his choosing since being without it made him feel strange - but he was used to it, to some extent. It was a lot less strange to him than wearing...denim. "Psychotic? Do _you_ think I'm psychotic?" he teased, but decided that the best course of action was to hide the hook, since he didn't have the glove/fake hand he had used in Storybrooke to hide the thing. But he'd get one eventually. For now, he just put on his leather jacket and pulled the sleeve as far down as it would go, arm tucked across his side so the glinting metal was out of sight.

Now he was set. And already feeling less like a pirate. Woe! The things he did for the woman he was insanely attracted to. "Ready, darling," he said, coming 'round to meet her by the front of the car. "What a charming inn this looks like. I've never been to one with indoor plumbing."

"I don't exactly think this is an inn, but you can call it whatever you want," Emma chuckled, walking into the lobby and up to the desk to get them a room. After obtaining the keys, she walked back over to Hook and led him to the elevator. She pushed the button for floor three and then found their room down the hall. _Finally_, they could have peace and quiet without having to worry about anyone they knew being near by. And Emma wouldn't have to sleep in her parents' cramped apartment in Storybrooke. Not that she minded being around her family all the time, but she was a grown woman who'd been on her own most of her life.

The king size bed would be nice for later, but Emma was more interested in the shower at the moment, which was also quite large with glass walls. She dropped her jacket on the floor and kicked off her boots, not wasting any time. "You can join me, if you want." Her shirt came over her head next. "Up to you." After discarding her pants, she walked up to him, admiring the way he looked in _normal_ clothes. "You look damn good, by the way." With that, she removed her bra, tossed it at him, and walked into the bathroom to start the shower and get it nice and hot. She was looking forward to getting the smell of the ocean off of her finally.

The elevator was quite a treat too, though he was certain he had ridden one before - but not one like _this_. On the way to a hotel room that had a very large bed and a shower where he was expecting a bathtub. Either way, it would beat washing up using cold water any day - and the glass walls were a nice effect too, when he caught a glimpse of them. Chuckling, he caught Emma's bra when she tossed it at him, letting it dangle from the tip of his hook before he chucked it onto the bed. That could stay there for now.

"And you look good without _any_ clothes on - always, but especially then," he said in a pleased growl of sound, following her to the bathroom to stand in the doorway, as the small space began to steam up. Yes, he would be joining her - there was no question about that. Hopefully, Emma wouldn't mind the normal clothes coming _off_. "I can't shower in them, unfortunately, so you'll have to find a way to deal with the sight of me naked, too."

Emma slipped into the shower, feeling her body finally relax under the hot water. Everything she'd been worrying about seemed to go away as well. It was nice to be out of Storybrooke but not in another land entirely.

Killian's hand went underneath the pleasant spray of water first, as if testing it, and then he stepped into the cubed-in space with Emma - but then was much more distracted by the sight of her rather than the water, dangerous glittering eyes roving up and down her form.

When Hook joined her, Emma immediately pulled him to her. She was feeling the effects of those beers she'd had earlier, and it was making her want him more than usual. Without letting him get a word in, she kissed him hard, her lips moving with his, both hands on the sides of his neck. The water falling over them only enhanced the sensation, and she wasn't planning on letting go of him any time soon. Emma backed up against the glass, moving her lips down his neck and sucking gently at the skin.

Good god, Emma Swan was going to be the death of him. It was highly possible that Captain Hook was going to melt into a puddle of mush or even just spontaneously combust and disappear into the ether, but what a way to go. She was _incredibly _gorgeous and had crawled so far under his skin he could do nothing but submit to her anyway, gladly pulling her to him and kissing her just as roughly, the glass shaking slightly in its holdings when he was _there_ - hips to hips, chest to chest, his every sense heightened. Fingers that were harshly male clawed down Emma's sides as lips attached to the pulse point of her throat in return while water beat down on them. The desire to kiss her, to eat her alive, was there - hot and pulsing, he couldn't _not_ give into it.

"You look so good when you're wet," he informed her huskily, teeth catching her lower lip. He wanted to touch her everywhere so he did, his touch dragging harsh, red-tinged lines down ivory skin. It was difficult to hide the effect she had on him, so pressed up to her inner thigh that he was.

Emma moaned in response to his touch, biting her lip when she felt his mouth touch her neck. He was impossible to resist, and he knew it. Even before the trip to Neverland she had felt it, but she had tried her best to ignore it as he wasn't exactly working for their team.

Her nails clawed at his back as their bodies pressed closer together, and feeling him against her thigh like that made her not want to wait until they reached the bed. He had a knack for testing her patience, but it definitely wasn't a bad thing when it came to sex. "Oh, so do you," Emma replied with a slight raise of her eyebrow. Without much warning, she began dragging her lips down his chest, kissing in a straight line until she reached his stomach where she dropped to her knees. One hand rested on his leg while the other grasped him gently and began moving back and forth. She closed her eyes as the water fell over her head, wanting to hear him beg for more before she allowed her mouth to get in on the action. But after all, she did owe him.

Killian was eager to keep touching Emma, fingers traveling over the curve of a hip and moving over her inner thigh, pressing and gripping. The motions were driven by need - the need to hold onto something during this onslaught of feelings and desire he couldn't exactly voice coherently. Then when she moved to her knees he became busy drowning beneath the wave of nerve-churning chaos anyway.

"_Emma_," he groaned desperately, squinting down at her. The heat, the steam, he breathed it all in and could feel his blood boiling, too - the anticipation of the feeling of her mouth, of having her, it was all as heady as the air around them. His hand stroked the back of her head, fingers clenching in her wet hair in a wordless plea, if that would be enough. He struggled to think in actual _words_ right now.

Hearing her name and feeling his hand in her hair was all the confirmation she needed that he wanted more. She could understand not being able to speak very coherently as he'd rendered her speechless multiple times with that body of his. Even through the steam and the water, she looked up at him briefly before covering the length of him with her mouth. Instead of starting slow, teasing him, she started off at a much quicker pace. She kept her tongue pressed to the skin as she moved back and forth, occasionally focusing on sucking only on the tip. Emma repeated this same circuit over and over, paying attention to the sounds he was making.

There was heat from the shower and with Emma, what was there in familiar and new ways - as Killian suspected it might be, no matter how often he was with her. His spine hit the glass after he jerked forward and then back; he wanted to throw an arm over his eyes to block the light, to block everything except the feel of her mouth on him, but he couldn't - he could just let out a hiss through his teeth, a groan from deep within his throat.

"Emma," he got out through gritted teeth while his hand bunched in her hair. "Emma, Emma..." For all of his endless snark and all the charm he spun with that silver tongue of his, that was all he knew, all that mattered. Just Emma. His hand then slid over the carve of her cheekbone, rough fingers grazing along soft skin. "You're driving me mad, Emma. I _want_ you...you don't know how much." Well, she might have a clue, given her vantage point.

The sound of her name from his lips was driving her forward, keeping her mouth moving at a fast enough pace that he would probably finish a lot sooner than she usually would have let him. But the sooner they were done in the shower, the sooner they could break in the large and comfortable bed waiting not too far away. She wanted him, too. More than she thought she could and in more than just one way. But her mouth was otherwise preoccupied, so she couldn't exactly return the sentiment just yet.

The water was beginning to warm and soon it would be cascading an icy chill upon them, and even though she could have reached up to turn the handle closer to the little 'H', Emma took it as a challenge to get him off before that happened. Her tongue focused now on just the tip, her hand making up for the loss on the rest of him.

He tried to hold back as much as he could, but it was beginning to almost be painful - and besides, Killian wasn't certain his knees wouldn't fail on him, what with the way Emma was using her mouth in ways that were exploding him from the inside out. She could probably tell he was close, what with the way he tensed and the sound he made, the way his breath caught - and then he slitted his eyes and tried to find something to hold to ground himself but there was only her and the glass walls. His hand tightened in her hair as everything spilled hot and maddening, a whine of relief escaping him. He wished he had _time_ to warn her of his sticky (temporary) conclusion, but chances are she knew anyway.

"_Fuck_, Emma," he sighed, the back of his head hitting the wall of the shower. Hook was surprised he didn't collapse, but he managed to stay upright and let the water run from hot to cold over him, at least cooling him off a wee tad. "...we should get out before we freeze."

Emma could certainly tell when he was close, and she continued swirling her tongue until the end, her mouth catching every last warm drop before she finally stood back up, the water washing away any evidence of what had just occurred. She couldn't help but give him a satisfied smirk, not saying anything as she turned off the water, stepped out, and grabbed a nearby towel. Emma tossed him one as well when he eventually got out, hers already wrapped around her body. "Tired yet?" she asked, almost mockingly. Of course they were both beyond exhausted if they stopped to think about it, but they hadn't really had time to stop and think about it yet. Sex usually put all those tired thoughts in the back of the mind. Not to mention, she was still horny from seeing him in jeans and a t-shirt.

The towel went around his waist and Killian dragged his fingertips through damp black hair, flashing Emma a lecherous grin - one of his usual variety, even just a bit smug. "Never, darling," he promised, taking her in his arms and planting a deep kiss on her - she tasted like _him_, but with her own uniqueness, something bittersweet and intoxicating. So while he wasn't tired _yet_, it was possible Emma would wear him out eventually, which was quite a feat, but then again, he was coming to learn that her sex drive was quite impressive. Hook couldn't recall being with a woman so feisty, not since Milah.

And even then, sex hundreds years of ago was a bit different. Not as filled with the possibilities of extra _things_ and the like.

"You're going to keep me up all night, Swan?" Killian asked, nudging her back into the bedroom. His fingers closed on the towel around her, which he yanked off. "I rise to the challenge."

Emma sighed into the kiss, her hands resting on his naked torso. She remembered telling him that he _better be good_ before the first time they slept together, and she now knew she was silly to ever think that he wouldn't be. It was hard to find a man who enjoyed pleasuring a woman almost as much as being pleasured himself, but Hook seemed to be one those men.

"Not _all_ night," Emma said as she moved backward into the bedroom, opening her mouth in an 'I can't believe you did that' sort of look when he yanked her towel off of her. "But I'm not done with you yet." She walked around to the other side of the bed, letting him enjoy the view for a moment before she climbed onto the bed, making him come to her. "You said I don't know how much you want me, so come and show me."

"Come and show you? I'll rise to that challenge, too," he replied, eyes traveling slowly down Emma's naked form - when given a chance to enjoy that particular view, Killian always would. "How thin are these walls? I do hope no one will think you're being murdered." Since he planned to make her scream or get as loud as possible without the threat of police coming by. No matter - they would enjoy themselves, and rest another time. Right now, he wanted her - and badly, as he had indicated.

Hook joined Emma on the bed, just about tackling her - but instead of remaining on her he rolled them over and scooted down with her atop him, so she could brace her grip against the headboard if needed, and his mouth was more at-level with where he wanted it, between her thighs. And having access to such deliciousness was quite pleasurable. His tongue ran across her slit, and he left soft kisses before teasing at her entrance with that tongue. She was already wet, but he wanted her _even_ wetter.

Because he wasn't quite done with her either.

"Trust me, the main reason people stay in hotels is so they can screw each other without worrying about being interrupted." Emma had no problem being loud, and she couldn't exactly help it anyway. As hard as she tried, it was impossible. He took her a bit by surprise as he rolled them over, positioning his face between her legs. She was glad for the headboard being there, otherwise she wouldn't be able to keep herself from collapsing. The things he could do with that tongue of his...

"Fuck," she murmured at the first touch of his tongue, closing her eyes and trying to steady her legs. Her knees dug into the mattress, her fingers already gripping the headboard. She'd be plenty more wet in no time.

Screw each other without being interrupted? That sounded fine to Killian - because he was _not_ in the mood to be interrupted at all. "Good, and that is certainly my plan," he murmured, all de sotto and villainous, as he wrapped an arm under Emma's thigh, bringing it around, and letting his thumb give a generous amount of attention to her clit. His tongue slid over her eagerly, lapping at her inner walls for a bit until his mouth and hand switched places, tongue flattening, flicking back and forth over her clit while his index finger slid _just_ inside of her. To tease, as a preview, who could tell.

But then instead of using his index and middle fingers, he slid his tongue into her - slowly, going as deep as he could - while his hand grazed her inner thigh, rubbing up over her hip and around to give her posterior region a squeeze. Couldn't forget that ass.

Emma's knuckles were already white, having nothing else to grab besides the headboard in front of her. She tried to keep her hips still, but it was difficult, her mouth opening every few moments to let out small groans of pleasure. The combination of his finger and his tongue was already driving her crazy, though she had no idea it was about to get even better. As his tongue slid into her, Emma had to lean forward a bit, her head resting on the back of one of her hands. "Oh, god that feels so good," she managed to get out, her head swimming as he grabbed her ass. With her other hand, she moved it to grasp one of her breasts, needing _something_ to squeeze that wasn't going to make her hand hurt afterward. Plus, she figured Hook would enjoy seeing that as well.

Emma should grab her own breasts more often - that was _quite_ a stunning visual. Killian would have said something but his mouth was occupied; however, the rumble in his throat, bubbling up from his chest, was one of appreciation. And since he had gotten such positive reception for what he was doing, his tongue - firm and in a point, like he really was a snake or perhaps even a demon - began thrusting in and out, hitting sensitive nerve endings at her entrance. He coupled this with licks to her clit on occasion, switching back and forth because variety was the spice of life, and he just simply enjoyed _all_ of her.

He was enjoying her so much another moan escaped him, and he grabbed at her ass again, pulling her even closer as if he could practically disappear inside of her, while he continued to fuck her with his tongue. The pirate wanted her sopping wet, he wanted her to come and he wanted to take it all - because he was greedy, of course. And Emma was _his_.

_Fuck_ seemed to be both of their favorite words whenever they were in sexual situations, and Emma blurted it out once again, more high pitched this time as he thrust his tongue in and out of her. Every time there was a small flick to her clit, she would squeeze her breast and feel her legs shake just a little bit more. The sounds he was making were only making it better, and she was almost grateful when he pulled her closer so she could lean forward more.

Not being able to steady her quaking thighs was the first sign, but eventually, she felt the build up begin and knew it wouldn't be long. Biting down hard on her bottom lip, Emma let go of the headboard in favor of the sheets now. It was beginning to be difficult to keep herself upright. Just a few more thrusts of his tongue sent her spinning, her muscles finally giving in and spasming like crazy. She knew she was moaning quite loudly, but she couldn't hear herself over the rush of blood in her ears, and even after the initial burst of pleasure was over, she couldn't seem to get her body to let her move just yet.

"You really are quite good at that," Emma commented, hanging her head and letting her hair dust over one of the pillows as she tried to get her breathing back to normal. "Fuck, I can still barely think straight."

The writhe and tense of Emma's thighs, that was all warning enough - as she came he kept the same pace, paying all of his attention to seeing her though the orgasm she was having. He let her ride it out, tongue being gentle as it slowly flicked her clit. "That's a girl," he murmured, as her body jerked on top of his own; his own body was burning, what with Emma always having an effect on him, and eventually he wreathed his arms around her and held her to him, gently rolling them over so she was on her back again, her hair splayed out over the pillows - and he took to admiring her for a moment, unable to help it.

And was that a compliment about his oration? Killian was flattered, truly. "You're rather talented yourself, though _I_ can always say it's because I'm old. I'm not sure I want to know where you learned," he teased, muscles shifting under his skin as he crawled atop her to press his hips down, and kiss her tenderly.

Emma smiled up at him when he rolled them over, biting her lip for a moment to keep from grinning _too_ much. She couldn't deny any longer how attracted to him she was. He was gorgeous, and it was hard to believe that he felt the same way about her. Her attraction did go deeper than that, however. Like she had told Charming and Snow, they had a connection, and just because of what he'd done before he came back to take them to Neverland, that didn't change. It definitely made things more complicated, but it didn't change the way she felt right now.

What Hook said made her laugh until he cut her off with a kiss. A kiss that gave her stomach a different feeling than the one he'd given her a minute before - butterflies. How he managed to do that, she had no idea, but she kissed him back, wrapping one of her legs around him to keep him close. Her tongue mingled slowly with his, appreciating the feel of his facial hair against her smooth skin. When they were kissing like this, slow and sensual, it really did feel like some sort of dream.

He settled on his forearms, nose to nose with Emma, enjoying the closeness too as it started a whole other stream of kisses - a whole other kind - that tended to cause electricity to crackle up and down his spine. Eventually, those kisses traveled along her jaw, one on her chin, down to her collarbone and the tops and sides of her breasts. "You must be exhausted, darling," he hummed thoughtfully, meeting her eyes for a moment. After all, Emma had gotten very little sleep throughout this whole adventure - admittedly, her tendency to be aroused and raring to go was a big turn on because _how_ did she manage that?

Then again, she was Emma Swan. Storybrooke savior. Expert wielder of this pirate's sword. "Are you?"

Well, they had fought with swords before in the Enchanted Forest...and she ended up on her back. Not much different than her position now.

Emma arched her back slightly as he kissed down over her chest, settling back on the bed at his question. Once this was over, yes, she would be exhausted, but she was holding up perfectly fine for now. Her thirst for him was greater than that of sleep at the moment. "I'm never too tired for you," she answered, running her fingers through his hair before pulling him back up to her so she could kiss his lips again. "But if you want to call it a night, just say the word." Another kiss. "Or you could say another word and we can continue working toward exhaustion together."

It wasn't difficult at all to come to a decision about what to do here. Sleep? Who needed it? Not Captain Hook, who could go all night and then some! And alright, perhaps he too would give in to exhaustion but that would be _after_ he made sure Emma had more of a fantastic time. She was so lovely when caught in the throes of ecstasy. "Which word?" he asked, giving her one more kiss, angling in between her thighs and attempting to nudge them apart with his body.

"Please?" Killian guessed, with a smarmy smirk to accompany that guess too. "You're going to make me say _please_, Swan?" To have her, he would say just about anything - and she probably knew it, too. Such was the power she held over him, _sigh_.

"Well, since you've already said it..." Emma nipped at his bottom lip, almost letting him nudge her legs apart, but she forced them closed at the last second, shaking her head. "No, that's not how I want you," she told him, sitting up and pushing him off of her. "Sit up," she instructed, nodding toward the headboard of the bed. Emma enjoyed 'ordering' him around, and she had a feeling he liked it, too. Why not just tell him what she wanted?

There was no question about it - of _course_ Killian did what Emma told him to do. It wasn't an option to say no, and he wanted everything to be good for her, so whatever she wanted, chances are he would agree as long as she told him what it was she needed. Besides, how could he refuse her anyway? As long as she wasn't telling him to walk around with a limp and carry a cane like Rumpelfucker because it turned her on.

Once he'd moved to where she wanted him, Emma straddled his waist, bringing her face millimeters from his. She teased him for a while, running her lips along his jaw, over his chin, down the other side of his jaw, and then back to his ear. She ran her tongue down the outside shell, sucking when she got to his earlobe, even nipping a bit with her teeth again. Anything to get him all riled up. Eventually, she brought her lips back to his, but she didn't kiss him. Instead, she got dangerously close to doing so before reaching between them to guide herself down and onto him, controlling the pace so it was slow instead of the hard initial thrust he usually gave her.

She breathed out onto his lips, a slow moan accompanying. He could do as he wished from there. Emma just wanted to take him a bit by surprise.

"Darling, you like getting me to the point of exploding, don't you," he groaned - with all of her teasing, his erection was plenty out of hand and he felt just about ready for his skeleton to jump out of his skin and declare itself a separate entity. But his arms went around her, shivering with all of the attention to sensitive ears, and when she finally lowered herself onto him the sensations were met with a hiss through his teeth. Being face to face was also pleasant and now they were fused together the rock of his hips was rhythmic and slow, sensual, his hand rubbing and caressing her ass.

Emma was enjoying being face to face with him, her hips moving with his and matching his pace. She kept her hands on the sides of his neck, leaning forward to rest her forehead against his and closing her eyes to enjoy the feeling for a while. Her lips stayed parted and near to his. It was a whole new feeling from what they'd done the past couple of times, but she quite liked it. They had mixed it up pretty much every time, and this was just the next new thing in a line of many. Emma was looking forward to seeing what else they could come up with in the future.

Eventually, she moved her hips a bit faster, letting him know it was okay to speed things up a little bit as it was getting increasingly harder to stay at the slow pace they'd originally started with. "You feel so good," she murmured, her lips brushing against his as she spoke.

"You feel even better, if you can believe it," he said in between kisses, upping the pace like Emma wanted. He found a spot within her that he liked - the rocking and pelvic grinding and the hip angle of this position allowing him to hit that spot over and over again, which is what he wanted. And he meant what he said - the way she felt was incredible. No wonder he was addicted to her.

With his hand free, he was able to touch her exactly like he wanted to touch her - up along her back, down again, his palm cupping and bouncing her breast. His fingers circled the sensitive skin around her nipple as he covered her mouth with his again in a demanding kiss that was as urgent as the motion between her thighs.

"Yeah, right there," Emma moaned loudly when he hit that spot, curling her fingers in the back of his hair. As usual, he was taking her to that place where she could barely think straight, and she loved it. The way his hand moved over her body was tantalizing, and she looked down briefly as he cupped her breast before he captured her lips and brought her attention elsewhere. Emma returned the urgency with which he was kissing her and groaned against his mouth, wrapping one of her arms around his neck. The faster that he moved between her legs, the less she was able to contribute, though she tried to continue pressing her hips down into his the best she could. The hand of the arm not around his neck came up to cover his hand that was still on her breast.

The encouragement was appreciated, and so Killian would oblige - his hips rocked against hers, a groan of his own slipping through during that kiss; he felt her hand covering his, the one that cupped her breast, kneading with his palm and not afraid to be roughly demanding as he edged her on. He was about to explode, he could feel tension coiling like an angry snake, and he was leaking within her - another half gasp, half grunt rumbled in his throat.

"_Emma_, you..._fuck_ - " Well, that was eloquent. Her breast was squeezed in his hand as he came, a harsh jerk of his hips - and again, followed by another, as he emptied into her. But he was determined to get her off about the same time as he went, rocking hard against her to stimulate her how she needed, to grind against her clit.

Emma's nails dug into Hook's shoulder when he came, groaning loudly, knowing her own release wasn't too far behind. As he continued moving against her, she felt her her own tension growing, and then just like that, he sent her spasming around him again. She squeezed his hand as she rode it out, unable to keep from moaning as she closed her eyes and let her head fall back slightly. That moment when her muscles gave out came as well, and she practically collapsed on him, breathing labored. Her head rested on the shoulder she was previously abusing. _Now_, she was pretty certain she could sleep for hours and hours and not wake up.

* * *

**AN: This got rather long...so the very end of this night & the next morning/day will be in the next one!**


	7. Chapter 7

Killian's shoulder was throbbing, the nail marks dug in deep, but it was a pleasant sort of pain. Almost as pleasant as the sensation of muscles squeezing and fluttering around him in some Pied Piper rhythm that he couldn't help but want to follow. His bones all then turned to liquid again, melting right out of him, as Emma collapsed on him - and he was barely able to keep her up, burying his face in her hair and slipping his hand around to stroke her back, while his own breathing slowed to something not so harsh.

When Emma finally pulled herself upright, she kissed him softly and said, "I'm glad you stayed." Of course considering she said it right after sex it seemed like that was why she was glad, but she was glad for more reasons than that. How were they supposed to know if this could really work if they didn't keep trying to figure it out?

Killian fell back in the sheets, pulling her with him with a slight grin. He was sweaty and exhausted (and probably, the cleansing effects of that shower were negated) but he felt good overall. "I'm glad you convinced me," he murmured, kissing her again, wanting her close to him. "Quite passionate, Swan."

Emma was also sweaty and exhausted, but she was fine with that. More than fine with it, actually. Now she could finally allow herself to rest. They didn't have to wake up the next morning and go searching for anyone or anything or worry about doing anything at all really.

"You seem to be quite passionate as well," she replied, resting one arm across his chest and propping her head up with the other so she could look at him. "I feel like..." Emma looked away for a brief moment, just letting her eyes wander up to the ceiling. "Like I still shouldn't trust you. Like my parents are right." She couldn't lie, there was a part of her that still had some doubts, that still believed as soon as Rumpelstiltskin returned, Hook would be off on his quest for revenge again and would disappear. Her parents would have fun with that lecture. "But there's a part of me that does trust you, and that part is currently winning." A small smile appeared before she rolled over onto her back.

Killian followed, rolling over on his side to prop up on one arm and look at Emma. His hand rested against her cheek, stroking with his thumb as he kept his azurite gaze on her face. "And there's a part of me that is still afraid of what it would mean, if you trusted me wholly...of what it would change."

It was his way of saying that he knew he was a scarred, broken man. That he couldn't fix himself overnight, but he wanted to try and be better. That she made him want it, too. "I've been searching so long for you," he murmured quietly, barely audible. Not _her_ specifically but for someone to care about - someone to love, to remind him that he knew how, and that he was capable of much more than living his life with a death wish.

Emma was also afraid of what it would mean, but she wanted to find out. She wanted to work on trusting him completely because she knew he was trying. _Why_ he was trying, she didn't know. What about her made him want to try? What about her made him want to change? What he said really made her think, and she had to ask, "Are you sure I'm what you've been searching for?" She wanted to be what he needed because he was what she needed right now. That's why she asked him to stay. They were both messed up people, but together, it seemed to work. "Because I'm letting you in. And you know better than anyone that that's not easy for me." She spoke lowly, turning to look him in the eyes when she said it. Those eyes basically made her melt every time she stared into them, making it hard to actually _think_.

"I've always known, ever since I looked at you and could read you like a book, only because I saw myself reflected back in so much about you," he said, meeting Emma's eyes - as sharp as his were, like jagged pieces of lapis lazuli, there was still something behind them. There was the man he used to be - past the brokenness and the scars - the man who wanted a family more than anything because it was something he never had before.

So yes, he was certain. And he knew how difficult it was for Emma to let him in, to let herself do that. "It's just as difficult for me," Killian told her, but he was doing it anyway, even if he would probably mess up somewhere along the way. But no one did everything right the first time.

Emma had never had a family either until the curse was broken. Her entire life had been one dysfunctional year after another until Henry came barging into her apartment one birthday and changed everything. They had a lot more in common than it would appear on the surface. And hearing that he'd known she was what he'd been looking for since he saw her almost gave her chills. She'd been quite the jerk to him, though he'd deserved it. But she could feel it, too.

"Well, we're in for a fun time once again then," she teased, smiling as she leaned over to kiss him, getting lost in it as usual. "Ready to admit you're tired yet?" she asked when their lips parted. Emma cuddled closer to him now under the covers, planning on falling asleep in his arms like she had that first night on the ship.

A fun time indeed. Killian chuckled tiredly, lips quirking upward against hers as he kissed Emma once more. "I might be a _bit_ fatigued," he said, as if it was some great confession. But gods above, how could he _not_ be? A man with superhuman endurance he was, but even a man such as himself would be needing more than a couple of hours of sleep after an adventure in Neverland and...all of the ways Emma was keeping him busy, too. Which he had no complaints about at all.

When she cuddled close to him he sighed quietly, something actually contented for once, and he kept her in his arms even though he never usually considered himself much of a snuggler. Did he even know how to do it right? Well, they'd find out! "Sleep, darling," he murmured, breath rustling golden blonde hair.

Emma listened and fell asleep minutes later, having the first restful sleep she'd had in who knew how long. No bad dreams, just a peaceful good night's rest. When she woke up, she was still in Hook's arms, and she didn't want to open her eyes because then the rest would officially be over, and they'd have to figure out what the hell they were going to do with themselves. The light shining in made it impossible to fall back asleep, however, so she was forced to become a conscious human being again. It didn't look like he was awake yet, so she rolled over on her side, facing away from him, and checked her phone which she'd left on the nightstand. No messages was probably a good thing.

Once she felt him stirring, she turned back around to watch him wake up. "You're adorable," she said without realizing at first that she said it out loud. She was thinking it in her head and somehow it just decided to come out of her mouth as well. Once she did realize she said it, she quickly added, "I, uh, didn't mean to say that out loud." For the first time, she was actually _embarrassed_ in front of him.

If Killian wasn't awake before he was _now_. One bright blue eye cracked open, and a lazy smirk stretched across his face. "_Adoooooorable_?" he repeated incredulously, stretching out the word like saltwater taffy. "You really think I'm adorable?" Needless to say, no one had ever called him adorable before. That he could remember, anyway. He was Captain Hook! Rough and rugged pirate, scourer of the seas! Puppies were adorable, not _him_.

It made him laugh thickly though, as he fought through those last tendrils of sleep clinging to him. He'd had a good nights rest and couldn't remember the last time it had ever been that still either. "_You're_ adorable, Swan. So adorable I might not let you leave this bed," he rumbled as he grabbed her and pulled her closer, nearly tackling her. Eventually they'd have to get up and figure things out like, oh, what does a pirate _do_ in a fairytale town? But that would come eventually.

God, that _accent_. It made her crazy. "Well, not anymore, now that you're making fun of me," Emma teased, laughing as he grabbed her to pull her closer. Hearing him tell her that she was adorable was causing the blush from earlier to deepen. What was happening to her? Why was she suddenly acting like such a teenager with her first love? "Stop being cute because my face hurts from smiling," she told him, leaning in to kiss him and pressing her body against his. Anything to distract him from what she'd said. If only Snow and Charming could see this side of Hook. Not the whole being in bed with their daughter thing but the fact that he treated her well and made her feel important to him. But if they ventured into Storybrooke together, they would see it eventually.

"I'm not _cute_," Hook protested, but the growl that came from him was for a whole different reason that had to do with Emma being so close, so deliberately, without any clothes on. "I am very, very dangerous, you know. I steal booty," said with a smack to her ass, followed up with an insistent press of his lips against hers. He stole booty, and he did it damn well. It was a pirate's life for him, yo ho, except when he was _here_ and wearing things like denim and t-shirts.

"You _are_ cute, pirate," Emma insisted, letting out a cute girly gasp when he smacked her ass, her body instinctively pressing closer to him. "And for the record, I let you have my booty," she said in between kisses, dragging her lips down his jaw and back up to his mouth. She wasn't trying to get him aroused, but she couldn't help kissing him.

Only with Emma, and no one else for miles, would Killian go along with using the word _cute_ to describe him in a non-sarcastic manner. She was magic, alright. "It's the finest booty in all the land," he said, nibbling on her lower lip and then deliberately dragging the cactus bristle along his jaw down her throat, her neck, leaving red marks soothed by kisses from him. "Maybe even as nice as all the crown jewels I've ever pilfered." Should he be saying that to a Sheriff? Oh well! She could always arrest him and keep him as her prisoner if she wanted.

"What sorts of fun things were you wanting to do today, hmm? I'm sure your parents are wondering if I've done anything untoward yet." And she probably wanted to see Henry, at some point.

"I do want to go see Henry. And you can spend some time with him, if you want." She didn't know if he would want to do that, but it would be nice for Henry to like him as well and see the side of him that she saw. "And you can even wear your new clothes." That made her smile, knowing he wasn't a fan, but she loved the way he looked in them, so she'd probably convince him one way or another to wear them.

"You really wouldn't mind if I met the lad?" He hadn't yet, at least not for longer than two seconds after Henry boarded the Jolly Roger, but it made Killian a bit anxious. He hadn't been around someone Henry's age in awhile, and that was Baelfire - whom he'd loved like a son too, oddly.

Chuckling, he kissed Emma's smiling mouth. "While wearing the odd clothes. Needs more leather, certainly."

Emma tilted her neck, trying to keep her train of thought as he moved down her throat. "Of course not, he'll love you." Henry had an open mind, and if he could look past all of Regina's many, _many_ flaws, there was no reason why he wouldn't also look past Hook's. And if Henry was on board with whatever their relationship was, then it would certainly help with getting her parents on board, too. She didn't want to feel like she had to hide from people every time they were out in the open together, and she wasn't going to hide, regardless of what anyone said.

People from Storybrooke probably wouldn't even recognize him at first if he was wearing his jeans and t-shirt, except for the Hook, of course. "You do not need more leather. I don't know how you live in those clothes." They seemed incredibly uncomfortable to her, but obviously he was more than used to it.

When their faces were level again, her lips found the spot below his ear, sucking gently, teeth grazing lightly. "You know, as adorable _and_ cute as you are, right now, I think sexy is a better description," she whispered in his ear. "What do you think?"

Well, it was certainly shaping up to be an interesting day. He snorted in disbelief that Henry would love him - because Killian knew he wasn't very loveable, was he? - but he would do his best anyway. Especially if he was going to staying here for a time. "Leather is quite durable," he whined, though was willing to quickly put _that_ out of his mind - and wear the strange button-down shirt with no complaints - in favor of other more salient, tantalizing topics.

Like using other descriptors besides the word cute. He'd take that. "We'll go with it," he murmured, a shiver of pleasure coursing up and down his spine at the tone of Emma's voice and the feel of teeth scraping his skin. His fingers trailed down her spine, resting in the dip in her lower back. "At least that way I can keep my masculinity. But I'd say sexy fits you too, darling, or have you not realized that yet?"

Emma knew that even if Henry didn't warm up to Hook at first that he would eventually. And with Gold not around to complicate matters more, it would be a lot easier. If Gold had been around, Hook probably wouldn't have even wanted to be in Storybrooke at all.

"No, when I look at myself, that's not the word that comes to mind," she told him, shaking her head and wanting to change the topic back to him. "But when I look at you..." she trailed off deliberately, a smirk on her face as she leaned in to kiss him. She'd already thrown out more than enough adjectives to describe him, so he knew how she felt about him without her having to say it again. Even though it was quite fun to see him squirm when she used words like _cute_ and _adorable_, which was her personal favorite.

"Well, when _I_ look at you, that's the word that comes to mind," Killian protested, falling on his back and tugging Emma atop him so her hair fell in a curtain around her face and he could kiss her deeply. "Among other words. Ones that indicate how badly you get under my skin." He was teasing, but really - she _had_. And they both had screwed each other over multiple times because they wanted so desperately to pretend that connection between them wasn't there, but look how _that_ had turned out. Now that they were working on something more solid between them, they just had to screw each other to make up for all of those past betrayals! It seemed the only logical solution.

Emma smiled down at him once he pulled her on top of him before he kissed her, continuing to smile even as she kissed him back. "Trust me, I understand." He got under her skin as well, but there was nothing to be done about it now. They were in too deep. "I sense that you're not ready to get out of this bed yet." Her hips were pressed just above his, and she was holding herself up by her hands, which were on either side of his face. If he wanted to kiss her, he'd have to either lean up or pull her back down again. "Not that I have a problem with that. I like having you all to myself."

Oh, Killian pulled her back down, alright. It was a combination of him leaning up, hips rising to touch hers, and him getting a grip on Emma to fuse their mouths together again - when he wanted something, there was little chance he'd let up, even if it was something like a kiss from her. And kisses from her _were_ very important.

"You do, do you?" he snickered, with another press of his lower body against hers. "Not much of a sharer, Swan? Good, because neither am I." He knew they couldn't stay in bed _forever_, but not having anywhere to be in the morning was alright by him - usually, he was up with the sun and breathing in salty sea air, but this was a whole pleasant change. "If at any point you _do_ feel like sharing, and dragging me from these blankets, you just let me know. In the meantime, I'll continue to appreciate you without any clothes on."

Emma had no choice but to kiss him, her arms buckling as he pressed his hips up to hers so that now she was laying on top of him again. "I will never feel like sharing, _but_ I think we should probably go soon." She didn't want Henry to think she was just abandoning him by not being in Storybrooke on his first full day back. She knew he'd want to see her, and she wanted to see him.

Reluctantly, very reluctantly, Emma gave him one last kiss and then got out of bed, wrapping a blanket around her because she knew he'd just stare at her the whole time if she didn't. Not that she minded, but she needed to get him focused on getting himself up and not what he'd like to do to her later. "Get dressed. I like watching your confused expressions when you put those clothes on," she teased him before going to find the pile of her own clothes she'd made the night before when she took a shower.

"Confused expressions," Killian scoffed, grabbing the other sheet to use as a toga for now, pulled around his lower half, until he scavenged for the 'modern' clothing he'd left around the bedroom before that shower last night. And what a pleasant memory it was. "You'd be confused too if you were from three hundred years prior to when denim was worn by the masses!"

"Yeah, well you're in a different century now, so get used to it."

Hmmmmph. But he managed to get dressed anyway, pulling the jeans and whatnot on, the t-shirt down over his head, and just leaving the dress shirt unbuttoned over that, in something of a casual style - or Killian just didn't feel like buttoning it up. Probably that. He put on his leather jacket too, because it was still like a security blanket for him and it was easier to hide the hook with it on. Then he smoothed the front of his outfit with his good hand, looking at Emma expectantly. "Is this alright?" Your _majesty_!

Emma pulled her pants on first, having to drop the blanket. While putting her bra on, she watched Hook leave the shirt unbuttoned, smiling to herself before turning around to grab her own shirt and put it on. When she turned back around, he was standing there with his leather jacket on. "Yeah, you look...somewhat normal." Emma laughed and went to grab her phone from where she left it that morning. "Do you want to stay in Storybrooke tonight, or should I keep this room for another night?" Probably a stupid question, seeing as how he didn't really want to go to Storybrooke, but she had to ask. They had to figure out what they were doing.

High praise coming from Ms. Swan! "Somewhat normal is good enough," Killian said, pulling the sleeve over his hook. At least he wasn't resembling a psychopath anymore - or a reject from a Renaissance fair. He wasn't sure which was worse, but anyway. As long as he was handsome enough to be deemed passable by the blonde bounty hunter over here.

He also would go where she was, so where they stayed was of little concern to him. However, soon he would want to get back to his ship just to check on her, to make sure she was still fine. Hook was a _bit_ attached to the block of enchanted wood. "Have we even got a place to stay in Storybrooke? Not with your parents, preferably." Emma could always sneak him into a room, Killian supposed - if she wanted to go that route. "If we don't, then we'll make this our dwelling for now." The pirate took a discerning look around, his hand rubbing across his stubbly jaw. "It's not so bad." Even if he had never used half the stuff here...like a blowdryer? Or the coffee maker? How odd.

Emma looked at him like he was crazy for a moment. "Hell no, we will not be staying with my parents. There was barely enough room for me there when it was just me and Mary Margaret. And now Henry stays there, too. When he's not with Regina." The way she said 'Regina', with a bit of disgust, said a lot about how she felt about her overall. "Anyway..." Emma walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist under the jacket. "We can stay at the bed and breakfast. Neal isn't there anymore, so..." She almost wanted to go into that room, but she knew it would just bring back a lot of unwanted memories. "But if you'd rather go back to your ship, I'd understand." It wasn't that she didn't want to stay out of Storybrooke with him, but she could only do that for so long. She didn't want to be away from Henry. And she knew Hook would want to see his ship. In the back of her mind, she was wondering how long he could possibly stand staying in the Land Without Magic before he decided he needed to leave.

Killian tended to feel the same way about Regina - talk about a crazy mother and daughter duo, with her and dearly departed Cora. He smirked slightly at the mention of the Queen's name, though didn't dwell on that point. She was still Henry's mother for all intents and purposes, so it was likely that Emma would have to deal with her for a long time after this, too. He kissed her briefly, his hand cupping the side of her face when she ensnared him.

"Sounds alright, love," he agreed. Hook didn't want to bring up Baelfire right now either, and all of those _connections_ he had with Emma (like fathering her son) that he couldn't compete with. "Eventually, I may need to set sail." His eyes met hers, as he studied her face, his thumb running along the edge of her jaw. "But I'll always come back to you. Or you could join me, of course, if you ever wanted to." It was just his way of saying that he couldn't be constantly landlocked - that just wasn't _him_. The sea ran in his blood, and called to him. But he meant what he said; he would always come back to her no matter what.

Emma didn't think that Hook needed to compete with Neal. Neal could be dead for all they knew, and even if he wasn't, Emma didn't know if things would ever be the same between them anyway. Too much had happened in both of their lives, and for lack of a better phrase, that ship had sailed. Her heart was now otherwise occupied.

Thinking about Hook leaving was _not_ something she wanted to think about, but she knew it would be coming eventually, and she couldn't blame him. But she also didn't think she could go with him, as it wouldn't be fair to Henry, and he had to be her first priority. Pile all that on top of worrying about when her parents were going to find a way back to the Enchanted Forest, and she had a lot to deal with. It was hard to keep the way she felt about all of that from showing on her face.

"Yeah, I know," she said, referring to knowing he would come back, even though there was a tiny bit of doubt in the back of her mind about if he really would. And she decided against saying she didn't think she'd ever be able to leave with him because who knew? Maybe it would be a possibility one day. "We should go," she said not too long after that, trying to shake the thoughts in her head as she dropped her arms from around him and headed toward the door.

* * *

**AN: Nothing _too_ exciting, but there will be some Henry/Hook interaction in the next chapter, which is always fun!**


	8. Chapter 8

This was almost domestic, wasn't it? Maybe even...stable. Yes, _stable_, despite the night hiding away from the rest of the world in a hotel room, which Killian quite enjoyed. Now that he was caught up on sleep, he could function and think with a clear head about what this all meant, where they would go from here, what if Henry hated him too like his father did, what if he had to leave on the Jolly Roger - sail off into a clear blue sky day - and Emma decided she didn't want him when he came back?

It was also highly possible that he was over-thinking it all, whatever _it _was.

He knew he couldn't stay here forever, because that's what pirates did. They sailed from port to port and didn't remain in one place for too long. They took what they needed and then they were gone, leaving only dust and empty treasure boxes in their wake. Hook had enough treasure to purchase a small country by now, but was that _really_ important? What did he want more - a pirate's life or a family life? The answers hadn't come to him yet but perhaps they would eventually. _Hopefully_.

The ride to Regina's to pick up Henry from where he was staying was filled with Killian pressing all the buttons in the car just because he could, with the front seat pushed back all the way to accommodate for his height in the tiny yellow thing. "Perhaps one day you can teach me to operate this thing," he said, as he fumbled with the seatbelt, using one hand.

Emma had forced herself into focusing only on driving and not thinking about the relationship she had entered into with Hook and what it meant. She'd thought about it enough for now. Enjoying it was what she needed to do. Not that she wasn't enjoying it, but she was also over-thinking things, and that sort of canceled out the enjoyment. Whatever happened was going to happen.

It was still very amusing to her that her car confused him so much. She let him push the buttons since most of them just adjusted the air or the radio, her car wasn't very fancy, but when he pushed the hazard lights, she slapped his hand playfully. "Don't touch that one." Watching him learn to drive would be even more amusing. "It's not really that hard. You could probably figure it out without my help." That was a lie, most likely, but it illustrated how easy she thought it was. She'd had to teach herself how to drive, after all. "So does this mean you're over your fear of things with four wheels and an engine?" Emma still felt bad about when he'd been hit and broke his ribs, and she deliberately pushed on them. But hey, he'd deserved it at the time.

"I was never _afraid_," Killian corrected with a playful scoff, because like he'd ever admit to _that_. "I was just...a bit wary. It feels less comfortable after it plows into you." There, it sounded a little better to describe his paralyzing fear of automobiles as something decidedly more manly. But if he was going to be here for however long, it might be good to learn about other modes of transportation.

When they arrived in Storybrooke, she parked the car by Granny's, intending to leave it there, not wanting to have to worry about where it was. The town was small enough to walk everywhere, and that was much easier. She hadn't really thought about it until Hook was standing outside, but probably everyone that saw them together was going to do a double take. Not only because they were together but because he wasn't wearing his usual clothing. She could tell by the look on his face that he'd caught her staring at him, and she laughed before walking over to him and grabbing his hand so they could start the short journey to Regina's to get her son. "I really want to say it, but I won't." She was referring to telling him he was adorable, of course.

His hand found Emma's and he gave it a squeeze, glancing back at the car over his shoulder before they began the walk to Madame Mayor's place. "Good, don't," he grinned boyishly, the breeze ruffling his crow black hair a bit. "I don't think I could take it. You'll have to wait until we're _alone_." Because that was the only time he'd allow her to get away with it...without giving her a spanking right there and then, or maybe he would anyway. Emma Swan certainly deserved multiple spankings, the naughty lass.

"Well, we'll be alone later, so I'll tell you then." Emma grinned as well just thinking about it, but as they approached Regina's home, she knew she needed to shelve those dirty thoughts. She knocked on the door a couple times, stepping back to wait for the Evil Queen to appear. Luckily, Henry was the one to open the door, and he ran straight into her, almost knocking the breath out of her with a hug. "Hey, kid," she said, holding him tight for a moment before he stepped back. "What took you so long? I've been waiting all morning!" Henry was wearing his backpack, so she assumed he was planning on staying with Snow and Charming that night. "Well, uh...I just had some things to take care of. But I'm here for good now." Emma saw his smile change into a look of curiosity as he noticed Hook standing behind her. "Where's Regina?" she asked before he could say anything.

Henry stepped out of the house, shutting the door behind him. "She left twenty minutes ago. She knows you're coming to get me." Well, at least she didn't have to deal with her right now. "Why is he here?" Henry asked next without missing a beat between sentences. Emma actually couldn't believe she didn't think about what to say when Henry asked that beforehand.

"Because we're..." Emma started to say but was cut off by Henry walking past her toward Hook and asking, "Why are you dressed like that?" She turned around, raised her eyebrows, and shrugged. Henry liked to get answers. She was glad for the change in topic, though. Explaining _why_ she was there with Hook wasn't coming very easy to her in that moment.

Such an inquisitive young lad! Though at least Killian didn't have to deal with Regina either - that was something he'd pass on, for the time being. She had been fine enough during the Neverland adventure, but mostly, he didn't harbor any desire to be near her and her vengeful self. Though he supposed things were changing for her too, just as they were for him - a daunting thought. Almost as daunting as telling Emma's son why he had showed up with her.

And Henry really did resemble Baelfire. In fact, the resemblance caused Hook to swallow a lump in his throat, a little nervously.

"Ah...well, your mum picked them out for me," he attempted to explain. "Since I'll be staying in town for awhile. With her. I hope that's alright. They work, don't they?" Killian gestured to his modern day ensemble. Henry was obviously smarter than his age would suggest - talking to him like he really was a kid probably wouldn't work. He hadn't talked down to Baelfire either, always treating him as an equal on the ship.

"Yeah, you look...normal," Henry remarked with that thoughtful look on his face. He had other questions, but he was hungry, so he could wait a little longer. "Can we get breakfast? I'm starving." Emma laughed and put her arm around his shoulders. "Of course we can. Are you hungry?" she asked Hook as they started to walk off of Regina's property. Him trying to find something he recognized on the menu would be quite humorous, as everything new he did in this world was.

They made their way back to Granny's, the only real place to eat in town, and Henry ran a bit ahead of them and into the diner, excited to see Ruby again. "See, he doesn't hate you," Emma said, stopping outside the door for a moment. She kissed his cheek quickly before going inside. Henry was already sitting at a booth, his backpack next to him because he wanted Emma and Hook to sit together, devious little kid that he was.

Gods above, this boy was also very enthusiastic. Baelfire had been a little older than Henry was now, when he first was rescued and brought on the Jolly Roger, so he was entering sullen teenage mode whereas Henry was still a hyperactive little boy. It was intriguing, since Killian saw similarities but also many differences. "Well, good thing for that," he grinned at Emma, returning the cheek kiss - and giving her ass a light slap before she entered the diner.

After they were all sitting down, Ruby came over to get their drink orders, and no one could miss the look she gave Hook when she realized it was him. Emma held in a laugh, ordering a coffee, and Henry ordered an orange juice. As Ruby walked away, Emma looked down at her menu to see if she felt like eating, but she didn't. Coffee was good enough for now.

"I'm not particularly starving, so here, see what you want," Emma said, handing Hook her menu.

Oh _grand_. Breakfast fare...would he recognize anything available?

A scan of the menu, when they were at a booth, signaled that no - Hook really wasn't familiar with things like 'low carb options' or whatever. Breakfast wasn't even very important in his time period. If he ate it at all, it was usually porridge or something that was a catch from the sea. "Mini-quiche?" he asked doubtfully. "Why would you not just get the larger version?" Woe, such oddness. "What do you recommend, darling?"

Emma had a good laugh from that comment as did Henry. "It's just a name, Hook." She turned the page of the menu, pointing at what she would get if she were hungry. Maybe she'd just steal some of his. "Pancakes. You'll probably hate them at first, but they're amazing. Kind of like cars."

"Cars are _not_ amazing," Killian protested, but alright. Pancakes. He could handle that. Coffee was another thing he wasn't all too familiar with, only having sampled it here and there, but Emma would probably appreciate a pot of that dark brew more than he would.

After Henry decided he wanted eggs and bacon, he put his menu down and stared across the table at the couple for a few moments. "Are you two dating?" he asked, folding his hands in front of him on the table. "Because I know _something_ is going on." He looked between them, waiting for someone to answer.

Emma took the bait. "I-I...don't know if _dating_ is the word I'd use, kid. But yeah, you're right."

She looked at Hook out of the corner of her eye, Henry adding, "I don't mind if you stay with her, by the way." Emma smiled to herself, glad that Henry had offered up his permission.

Of course the boy had to go and be extra nosy and observant. Erm...well then! Killian cleared his throat, hand rubbing his jaw as he did when he was on the anxious side. Not that he'd admit to that out loud. "I am courting her," he added helpfully, if that was even helpful at all. "...Because I'm not certain if dating is anything I've ever done before." It was similar to courting, anyway! Right?

"And thank you, it's quite appreciated, my boy," he said, in reference to the expressed permission. "I've got my ship by the docks, you're welcome to come back for a more in-depth tour anytime you want." Was that exciting to a boy Henry's age? Hell, Hook was pretty excited by his ship, but he was a tad biased.

"Really?! You'd show me around?" Henry asked excitedly. He was always one for adventure, that was for sure, and all he'd done on the ship before was sit on deck with his family who didn't want to let them out of their sight after what happened. "Can we go after we eat?" Emma was still sitting there trying to figure out what the hell courting meant, but she was somewhat paying attention to their conversation while drinking her coffee, and now that Henry was looking at her, she realized the question was directed at her. "Oh, yeah, if that's okay with you," she said, looking at the pirate-now-in-disguise beside her. At least they were getting along.

Henry's enthusiasm was nice to see, and Killian flashed the boy a crooked grin, revealing stark white teeth for a moment. "Of course, as long as your mum won't be too bored," he said, with a look at Emma. Though granted, she was mostly acquainted with the inside of the Captain's cabin and not much else.

"You know, I didn't see this coming," Henry said next, sipping his orange juice. "My mom and Captain Hook?" He shook his head like it was weird, but he didn't mind, as long as he didn't hurt her. "Trust me, me either," Emma replied, more of that coffee going down and waking her up further. She'd need some energy for later when they inevitably would have to drop Henry off at Mary Margaret's and face her parents again, still with Hook.

Killian sipped at a cup of that dark brew, too - if it was as good as everyone said it was, and provided an energy boost, then he figured he'd better pour it down his throat while he had the chance.

"Your mum is - " Alright, he had to think of something appropriate to say, a compliment that was actually suitable for an eleven-year-old's ears. "Quite lovely." There, that would work! "Unfortunately, she hasn't had many people to tell her that. Until me. Now, what does one put on their pancakes, exactly?"

Besides a crapton of butter and syrup, though that seemed to be the favored choice.

Emma didn't mind if Henry wanted to see Hook's ship. It would give them all something to do together at least, and Henry seemed pretty excited about it. When Hook said she was lovely, she rested her hand on his leg under the table. She couldn't exactly say much in front of Henry, so that would suffice for letting him know how she felt.

"I agree, and I think you're her type. As for the pancakes, since you've never had them before, you should just start with butter," Henry said just before Ruby brought their food over.

Emma had to wait until she retreated to get her response in. "Whoa, wait, what's my type?" Her eleven year old son was telling her she had a type? When did he figure this out?

"Someone who's just as strong as you are," Henry replied without looking up from his food, not meaning it in the physical sense.

And how amusing it was that Henry knew his mother's _type_! It made Killian laugh a little, genuinely, as he returned the under-the-table squeeze, by bestowing one upon the hand that rested on his leg. "Well, he's probably not wrong," Hook pointed out, with a flicker of amusement in his eyes.

End of that topic. "Anyway, have you decided if you like coffee?" she asked Hook, now that he'd actually had more than a couple sips. It was usually her only reason for getting up in the morning, and she hadn't had it in a few days. "As for the pancakes, dig in." She handed him a fork, eager to see what his reaction would be. She didn't think she ever witnessed someone having pancakes for the first time before.

"Yes...coffee..."

Just to be sure, he took another sip. Or two or three. "I think I've had a similar version, the beans were roasted in Agrabah from what I can recall - " Oh yes, Hook had been _everywhere_, to every realm, "But none this...strong. I like it, though. It's good just as is." Of course it would make sense he'd drink his coffee as black as his soul.

"You would like black coffee," Emma commented. "But...I guess I can't really say anything. Mine's black, too." Her cup was empty, but luckily, Ruby came by to fill it back up for her.

When the pancakes arrived, he looked at them curiously. And he even poked at them with his hook, just to test the consistency, before he used the fork to cut off a piece and take a bite. Then he added butter to them, as instructed, and took another. "They're...sweet," he said, and they didn't even have syrup on them yet. Clearly the thought of chocolate chip pancakes would make his teeth rot on site. "But not bad! You should take your share, Emma, before I eat them all."

Emma watched Hook with the pancakes, dying to tell him how cute it was, but she refrained once again. Not in front of Henry. "Wow, you like them. You're integrating quite well into society," she teased, picking up her own fork so that she could help him eat, since who could ever say no to pancakes? Not her. It was weird how normal the morning felt, the three of them sitting there at Granny's and eating breakfast together. She thought it may be a bit awkward, but Henry seemed to like them together so far. Maybe he'd put a good word in with her parents that night since they were bound to ask him questions after finding out he had been with them all day.

"I'm so pleased that you think so, Swan," he smirked, eating another forkful of buttery pancakes. "Maybe you really _can _teach an old dog new tricks or however the saying goes, hmm?" And he was about as old as they came, being just over three hundred - technically, anyway. That stint in Neverland meant that aging was sort of off the table, or he'd be long since dead by now.

"How long are you staying in Storybrooke?" Henry asked Hook seemingly out of nowhere. An innocent question, though it wasn't one that Emma wanted to hear an answer to.

No, Killian was _not_ going to choke at the question about how long he was staying. He was _not_.

Maybe only slightly. It was a cough - more like a deep clearing of his throat. "I...well, I'm sort of playing it by ear, lad," he explained, and that was the truth. "I'm not used to being so landlocked - my sea legs begin to get restless - but we'll see how it goes. I've got incentive to stay awhile."

Emma just eyed him when he coughed, confirmation that that wasn't a question he was expecting either. "Good!" Henry said, smiling. The answer seemed to be good enough for him, and he went back to finishing his breakfast, which was gone minutes later. He was a growing boy with quite the appetite, and since he was finished but the other two weren't, he got up to go sit at the counter and get another orange juice from Ruby. Of course, he wanted to leave his mom and her new 'boyfriend' alone, too.

"He's really excited that you want to show him your ship," Emma said, choosing to talk about that instead of Henry's most recent question. "You're great with him." It was a plus. If they hadn't gotten along well, it would make things even more complicated than they already were. Charming and Snow were one thing, but she could deal with them. She couldn't deal with Henry disapproving, too.

"You think so?" Though Killian was glad to hear that Emma wanted him to keep spending time with her son - if he planned to keep seeing _her_, naturally he wanted to get on well enough with Henry too since he was such a fixture in Emma's life. And maybe the young lad needed a father figure? He didn't seem to have been exposed to one before.

But that was a whole other issue. "Anything for you, darling," he leaned in and pressed a kiss to her temple, appropriately affectionate in case Granny happened to be wandered around her diner. Another bite of buttery goodness later and then he'd consider it done. Now, for these pancakes to just not settle like bricks in his stomach.

Once the pancakes were gone, Emma got up to give Ruby some cash and gather her son. "You ready to go?" He nodded enthusiastically, hopping down off of the stool and out of the diner. Somehow her hand always seemed to find Hook's when they were walking together, and as they walked down the sidewalk together toward the docks, it was no exception. She had a feeling that holding hands wasn't exactly something Captain Hook would normally do, but he did it with her.

"He's got so much energy. And he seems happy enough," Killian remarked as he (willingly) held Emma's hand while they headed for the docks. And the Jolly Roger still looked to be intact and her usual perfect self, even from a distance - if anything had happened to her, Hook could have thrown a fit. But he wanted to ask if Emma planned to keep raising Henry here, in fairytale town, or take him somewhere else - were there enough opportunities for them here? And for her, too? He refrained for now, however.

"Yeah, I hope he really is happy." Emma did feel bad that Henry never had a real father figure in his life, and just when Neal was starting to be that for him...well, now he was gone. And she knew it was affecting him more than he was letting on, but he was a lot like her in the way he kept it all on the inside. Right now, he looked especially happy to be getting back on the Jolly Roger, and it was good to see him smiling so much. She knew she hated when people pushed her to talk about things, so she wouldn't do that with Henry. If he wanted to talk about what happened with Neal, he would come to her.

Henry waited for them to catch up before getting on the ship, going over to the opposite side and looking down at the water. "Go ahead, show him around. I'll wait up here," Emma told Hook as they walked on board. Not that she didn't want to explore the ship, but she wanted to give them some time together.

"Are you sure you don't want to come, love?" Killian asked, but if Emma wished to stay up on deck and gaze out over the water (it was a pleasant view, at least) then that was her call. "We'll be back," he promised, and gave her a kiss before wrangling in the oh-so-excited Henry - who was back on a _real_ pirate ship! And it was a lot better this go-round, when he wasn't exhausted from being kidnapped by psychopaths.

Hook made certain to take him on an exceptional tour too, wanting to ensure he'd get to see everything. First they started on deck, where he gave Henry a brief sailing lesson at the helm then showed him the anchors, the back of the ship by the rudder, the sails and how to drop them, the boucan (which was a grill used to smoke meat, a technique pirates were fond of) and even the cannons that Killian was actually quite proud of. He wasn't one for pistols, but cannons? Highly effective.

Then they went on the lower levels, where he showed off the collection of weapons (swords and cutlasses, mostly) and the forecastle, which is where the crew's quarters were. He had the lad tour the Captain's cabin too (though left out the details of what he and Emma had done in there...), showed him the gallipot where the crew kept all their medicines, the collection of coins from many realms and treasures from even more - in fact, he even gave Henry a coin called a sequin as a souvenir. It was a special gold coin, an antique from hundreds of years ago, though he could probably use it to pay for...bubble gum, at least? The idea was for it to be a cool souvenir rather than have it be spent, really.

Hopefully Emma didn't mind waiting. When Killian appeared on deck again, he wanted to go look for her in case she had fallen asleep somewhere - like in one of the lifeboats.

Henry was beyond excited to be hanging out on the ship that morning and into the afternoon as time wore on. Even though he knew about pirate ships from reading about them, he'd never actually been able to learn about one _while_ on it and from a real pirate. Of course, he loved seeing the cannons and Hook's collection of swords. Henry was very into sword fighting, even if he did only get to practice with the fake swords him and David played with. And the cherry on top was certainly getting the gold coin, which Henry had no intentions of spending. He'd keep it safe and probably look at it and admire it every day. _Real_ treasure. If he hadn't been one hundred percent for the relationship before, he was now.

When they made it back up on deck, Henry saw Hook going to look for Emma and said, "Wait." He wanted to talk to him without her around for a moment. "You really like my mom?" he asked, wanting to make sure. He may have only been eleven, but he was still protective. "Because I can tell she's happy, and that's good. She hasn't had time to be happy lately." It was true, after all. A lot had happened in a short period of time, and now suddenly his mom was with someone who hadn't even been on their side not too long ago.

When Henry wanted to talk, of course Killian went willingly. The idea made him a little _anxious_ - as discussions of this variety often did for people, but he planned to simply tell the truth, as the boy probably deserved that, if nothing else. Besides, he didn't have anything to hide when it came to Emma. So yes, Henry, he 'really liked' your mom, and Hook made that pretty clear, to soothe the boy's concerns. Neither Emma nor her pirate counterpart were used to opening up like this, because they were essentially mirror images of each other, but it was her he had wanted and needed for so long even if he didn't know it.

Meanwhile, Emma had hung around in the same spot for a while, watching the two of them while they were still up there. Once they disappeared below, she made her way to the end of the ship farthest from land, leaning against the wood and just staring out at nothing but miles and miles of sea. It was a good time to think. She thought about what would happen when Hook eventually left, how she would take it, how Henry would take it now. What if Snow and Charming found a way back to the Enchanted Forest and started asking her to come with them again? She didn't want to have to make that choice because it still wasn't really what she wanted. Those things took a lot of time up and before she knew it, Hook was at her side again, Henry behind them somewhere still looking around.

His arm went around her waist and he pulled her to him to give a rumble in greeting by her ear and kiss her neck. "He's got treasure, so now he's officially a pirate," Killian informed Emma.

"Oh, really?" Emma leaned into him when he put his arm around her, resting her head on his shoulder as she continued looking out at the horizon. "I bet he's thrilled." The day couldn't have been going better, and she was just waiting for something bad to happen just because that's how it always seemed to go lately. It was hard to not still be cynical when that's the way she'd been her whole life, but she was working on it, slowly but surely.

She lifted her head to kiss him, finally managing a smile. "Thank you for this. You're so good with him. I think he needed some fun." Seeing how good Hook was with Henry made her not doubt their relationship so much anymore. It could actually work. She could actually have him in her life and still have Henry in her life as well. "I did miss you, though."

Oh ho, what was this? "You missed me?" His mouth tilted upward, revealing teeth in a crooked smile. "That's so _adorable_, Swan." There, see, he could throw those cutesy words around too - didn't she just love the compliment, her and her tough-as-nails self? Killian was certain he'd get at least a nose crinkle for that one, though Emma did have a tendency to blush a bit when she was around him, which was actually the adorable thing, if you asked him, that she could let her guard down even a little.

"I missed you, too." He kissed her again, a brief and gentle touch of his lips against hers.

What! "Did you really just use that word?" Emma _did_ blush, covering her face for a moment in an attempt to hide it but too late. The kiss didn't really help, her cheeks still warm when he pulled away. She squinted her eyes at him. "You enjoy this, don't you?" She was, of course, referring to him complimenting her and embarrassing her at the same time.

"In an entirely sarcastic manner - perhaps I will wean you off of it yet," he stated, but really, he just thought it was amusing to see Emma blush. A flush of pink blooming in her cheeks was always quite unexpected from someone like her, but attractive all the same. "I enjoy making you squirm," was what Killian added there, the telltale smirk appearing for a moment.

"And it's nice that the young lad doesn't want to convince you to throw yourself overboard rather than be with me."

She turned around to look at Henry, who was standing back at the helm, pretending to steer the ship, far enough away that he couldn't hear what they were saying. "Yeah, Henry certainly has different feelings than my father does. He'll come around, though. Eventually he won't want to ruin your face with his fist quite as much as he does now." Emma grabbed his chin, making him look at her. "Which is good, because I like your face quite a lot."

He glanced at Henry too, the newest member of the Jolly Roger's crew, before looking back at Emma - or forced to, chuckling as she grabbed at his face which she _claimed_ to like. "Your father and I will become the best of friends," he insisted, arms going around her fully as she faced him. "Like two peas in a pod." Well, it would improve marginally - or so he hoped.

Emma wrapped her arms around around him, too, looking up at him. "Well, I'd love to see that happen, but I won't hold my breath." Charming would come around eventually, but who knew how long that would take. He was a typical father except for the whole being a prince and practically the same age as his daughter. She was used to it now, though.

And there she went getting lost in his eyes again, so she had to force herself to look away and think of something else to talk about to distract her thoughts. "So, did Henry ask more interesting questions?" she wondered. He'd said enough entertaining things that morning for her, and she was sure the next time she was alone with him, he'd have a few more. Henry knew about Graham and Neal, and now there was a new man in her life, and he just wanted her to be happy.

Ah, Henry, such a curious boy indeed. "Well, he just wanted to make _very_ certain that I really, really liked you, because it was important for him to know. And that he is pleased to see that you're happy which, I have to admit, I am as well." Killian pressed his lips to Emma's forehead, his hand coming up to grasp her chin this time, fingers looped under it so he could tilt her face up and kiss her once more.

But that would be the last one for now, since Henry probably didn't want to watch his mum and a pirate get all cutesy on a pirate ship. "Other than that, no...however, it's nice to see that he's got his mum's interests at heart. Infinitely more adorable than either you or myself, really."

Emma couldn't help but laugh at that. You'd swear Henry was older than eleven. "So you really, really like me then?" she teased, smiling as he kissed her, glad that Henry was preoccupied. "And I have to agree. He is quite adorable, and I like hearing you use that word." She poked him with her finger in the chest and then started walking back toward where Henry was, not wanting to leave him by himself for too long.

"I really, really like you," Killian replied in a murmur, so soothing and entrancing, as calming as the waves during a gentle day at sea. "If you hadn't already noticed." Eventually, he would grow to love Emma - he was capable of such things, had loved so deeply before, and learning how to do so again was going to take time and patience. But it was not impossible. Already he cared for her a great deal, more than anyone else in his life.

Emma would grow to love Hook as well, those feelings already beginning to take root in her heart. She knew it was there, but those feelings always scared her. She'd been burned too many times in the past, and not just romantically, but also with all the families that tossed her to the curb. Henry coming into her life had softened her heart quite a bit, though, and now she had her family back, which made her ability to love grow. One day she'd be able to admit to herself, and to Hook, that she loved him.

"Hey, kid, you ready to go?" Emma asked.

"Aww, do we have to?" Henry frowned, having fun on the ship and spending time with the two of them. "Yeah, you're having dinner with David and Mary Margaret tonight, so I should get you back." She knew what was coming next.

"Why don't you and Hook just stay and have dinner with us?"

Well, wouldn't that be fun. "Uh, I mean, if you want us to?" Emma didn't even bother asking Hook what he thought about it. It wasn't his idea of a fun evening either, but if she was going to go, so was he. Not that she wouldn't normally want to go. She just didn't want to leave him by himself. Plus, Henry _did_ want them to be there.

"Of course! Come on!" And just like that, Henry was up and grabbing his backpack from where he left it so that they could go.

He went along when Emma collected Henry from his pirate perch, though Hook's jaw was definitely about on the ground when the boy suggested he have dinner with the whole family. Well then. "I can't think of anything I'd enjoy more," he said with a wink and his crooked smile, watching as Henry bolted ahead - obviously _he_ was pleased with the idea. "I'm sure your parents will love the suggestion too." Killian had to stifle a laugh - oh, the look on Snow and Charming's faces would be _priceless_ when it was announced who their dinner guest would be.

"Oh, I'm sure they will," Emma said, a bit of sarcasm in her voice as they started following Henry. "They probably won't even recognize you at first." She looked him up and down, a smirk on her face. She still thought he looked damn good in what he was wearing, even if he still liked his leather more. "Just behave, and it'll be over before you know it." He _probably_ would behave himself, but she knew Charming certainly wouldn't mind getting out a few quips here and there.

_Behave_ was such a subjective term - how was Killian supposed to do _that_ when it was just so difficult for a scallywag such as him to do so? "Mmmmm..." he hummed, sauntering with Emma and keeping Henry and his bright backpack in his sights, so the lad wouldn't get lost - not like there were many places to get lost in Storybrooke, however. "I don't know, darling, I might need proper incentive to behave at your parents' place."

Especially if Charming was going to give him the Fatherly Eye! Snow was perfectly lovely, the princess she was, and if she could put up with Regina then surely Hook wouldn't be an issue. Or so he assumed. But Killian had never been the subject of the Fatherly Eye before, so it was all a bit odd - though, admittedly, nice that Emma's parents cared about her so much. Since she was clearly a product of True Love.

Emma looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. "Incentive, huh?" She could think of a few things that would be a good reason for him to behave, but she had to think of appropriate ways to phrase them with Henry being around. "Well...if you behave now, then you don't have to later." She figured that was pretty clear as to what she meant. "And I'll owe you a favor or two." He looked more like a gentleman now at least, so that helped. And despite what her parents thought, he _was_ a gentleman.

Snow wouldn't give Hook any trouble. Even if she didn't agree with the relationship right now, she would be nice at dinner. Charming, however, would probably have to be reprimanded by his wife before he'd play nice. It was his little girl after all, and she was dating a pirate. Of course he was going to be protective.


	9. Chapter 9

As they approached the door, Henry was already going in, and Emma stopped briefly outside the door as she heard him say, "Emma and Hook are staying for dinner." And Snow said, "Of course! I was hoping Emma would stay." Well, then. She gave Hook a look before going inside, and Snow's eyes immediately went a little wider. "Hook?" That made Charming look as well, both staring.

Emma rolled her eyes at them and pulled Hook inside so she could close the door.

It was nice to be welcomed so...interestingly. Snow and her beloved were staring at him like he was one of those two-headed vipers from Agrabah, but Killian merely returned the goggly-eyed looks with one of his most _charming_ smiles. "Yes, if that's alright? I could even give a hand in the kitchen...well..." He held up the hook in jest. "Just literally a hand, though this is rather good at chopping vegetables if need be."

For now, he'd keep his eye on the prize. Not behaving later was certainly good enough incentive.

"Emma, can we see you in the kitchen please? Me and your mother?" Charming asked politely, planning to really ask her what in the _hell_ she was doing by playing house with Killian Jones. He remembered the talk on the docks when they got back from Neverland but that was entirely different! He thought she'd send Hook off with a goodbye, not invite him for dinner!

Snow actually laughed a little at the comment about the hook, but Charming wasn't finding it all too amusing.

When Charming asked Emma to come in the kitchen, she really wanted to protest, and tell him that he could say what he wanted now, but she knew it would just be easier if she went along with it. Henry could keep Hook company for as long as this conversation was going to take.

Oh yes, Hook would remain in the other room with Henry, regaling him with stories about the many lands he had traveled to. He started with Agrabah, since the boy seemed curious, and would move on to beanstalks and what it was like to climb them, depending on how long this little talk between Emma and her parents lasted.

"I thought we talked about this?" Emma said before either of her parents could get a word in. What exactly hadn't they understood? Did they really think after what Hook said to them at the docks that he was just going to take off? Of course they did because that's the way they thought of him, and apparently, they didn't think she was serious about what she said either.

Charming looked rather alarmed, however, and for a good minute he just glanced from Emma back to Snow and then Emma again as if he was completely bewildered and flabbergasted.

"We didn't talk about this being a serious thing," he said, running a hand over his face. "But I'm assuming it is, between you and the pirate, and...okay, right. Okay. I need something to drink. How long is he even staying?" The drink was forgotten for a moment, but not entirely. Charming craved some damn whiskey, that was a fact.

Henry was certainly entertained and knew something was going on in the kitchen, but he'd just figure that out later. For now, he wanted to hear about all the things Hook had done.

"Charming, calm down," Snow tried to say, but Emma wasn't going to wait for that. "Well, what the hell did you think I meant when I said that we had a connection and he understood me? Oh, we slept together and now he's leaving, so I just thought you'd want to know." She knew the part about them sleeping together didn't need to come out, but she wasn't thinking about what she was saying. "He's staying as long as he wants. With me."

"But Emma, you know he's going to leave eventually, and you're going to get hurt. We just want to protect you," Snow said, trying to get through to her, but Emma already knew they wanted to protect her. They just didn't understand that she knew she was going to get hurt when he left, and she was willing to accept it in order to be with him now.

Emma's father had already assumed that she had slept with Hook, but hearing it confirmed didn't exactly make the fact any easier to swallow. Charming grimaced, obviously uncomfortable with the admission, and tried not to hyperventilate and/or breathe into a paper bag. "I don't know why you're doing this," he said in exasperation. "It still doesn't make sense to us and...you left him in there with Henry?!"

Emma tried not to groan out loud like a frustrated teenager whose parents wouldn't let her go out with the bad boy, but it wasn't easy. "Henry loves him. He wouldn't do anything to him," she said in Hook's defense, pretty much done with the conversation after that.

Charming nearly had another stroke but what could he do, in the scheme of things? Emma was a grown woman and she made her own grown-up decisions. So therefore, he'd just have a pre-dinner drink and shut the hell up. "Fine, okay, never mind," he babbled. "Dinner. I'm going to go crack open the whiskey, and then help your mother. How about we all have drinks first, though? Drinks all around." Surely the pirate wanted something, right? Yo, ho.

A drink sounded amazing to Emma. "Just watch how much he drinks, okay?" Emma said quietly to Snow. "I don't think we need him shooting his mouth off at dinner in front of Henry." Emma needed to watch how much she had as well or she would be in the same boat. "Do you need any help with dinner?" Snow shook her head. "No, it's alright, go be with Henry and...him." So Emma did, taking two drinks with her. One for her and one for Hook. Henry had already grabbed a can of soda from the fridge on his way in.

"I'm about ready to be done with these conversations," Emma said as she sat down, handing the second drink over. "Prince Charming apparently likes his whiskey." She was just a _tad_ bitter. Henry was playing some handheld video game, so he was half-distracted, and Emma didn't even care if he was listening anyway.

Thank everything that Emma the drink fairy had arrived. Killian took the beverage and toasted her with it before knocking it back, appreciating the accompanying shiver. Perhaps he should have sipped the pre-dinner whiskey, but it was a special time to indulge, no? "Just give it more time, darling, they'll come around," he wanted to assure her, reaching over to rest his hand on her thigh and give it a squeeze.

There was no way that Charming and Snow White wanted to lose their daughter _again_, so Hook anticipated more of an acceptance of this burgeoning relationship soon. "I'm sure they went through their fair share of struggles, too," he murmured into her hair, leaning in to press a kiss to her temple.

As much as Emma wanted to turn her drink into a shot, she refrained and settled for just taking frequent sips here and there. It was certainly needed. "I know they will. They just keep saying the same things like I don't already know." The main thing she was referring to there was that she was going to get hurt, but she didn't want to actually say that to him. "They're certainly making up for lost time." They never got to have any sort of relationship talk with their daughter, so they were piling it all on now.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Snow was busy putting the breading on the chicken before she put it in the oven and thinking of something to say to her husband. "You think maybe we should just have an open mind? I mean, look how he's dressed. He seems to be...trying?" Of course Hook wasn't Snow's first pick for her daughter, but if she was happy, that was all that mattered.

Killian was curious about what Emma's parents were so concerned about but then again, he could probably guess - he knew what he was and the reputation he had garnered for himself. They were concerned that he'd foolishly break her heart, or toss her aside, like he had done with so many others before - and he supposed, given his reputation, they had every right to assume that since he hadn't exactly given them reason to believe that he wasn't a villain until now.

"Well, I know how I feel about you, Emma," he said, looking down into his glass as if it held all of the answers. "And you do too, by now. That is enough, I would think."

It would eventually be enough for Charming, too but right now? He was still kind of twitchy about the whole thing. "Maybe," the former shepherd remarked with another grimace. "Yeah, maybe. I never thought I'd see the guy in jeans." Even if they were black like the rest of his wardrobe.

"It is enough. For me." Emma was also staring down into glass, which despite her efforts to go slow, was already empty. She needed another. Without asking, because she didn't really think she needed to, Emma grabbed Hook's glass and got up to venture into the kitchen for more.

When Emma came back into the kitchen, Snow dropped their topic of conversation. "Where'd you put...never mind." Emma saw the bottle and grabbed it, pouring some in both of the glasses she'd brought in with her, watching as Snow put the chicken in the oven and turned on the timer. "I'm sorry about earlier," she forced herself to say, capping the bottle. "I just wish you'd trust my judgement."

"Emma, we _do_," her mother told her, "but this is new to us."

Charming was busy being culinary and mixing the greens (spinach, mostly) with strawberry pieces (that he kept sneaking into his mouth) and feta cheese, tossing everything in a huge bowl with the dressing and using the tongs. He remained focused on that while Emma got her booze, which reminded him that he needed to just start guzzling from the bottle.

"We're sorry too, Emma, we'll try harder to understand." More alcohol would help, though. "Would you mind picking a wine to go with dinner?" he asked before she left with the drink refills, biting his tongue so hard it might have bled, but he _wasn't_ going to keep dwelling on the awkward subject of having to make nice with the pirate.

Emma just nodded and went back to sit down with Hook, handing him the glass that was no longer empty. "I'm assuming you eat chicken?"

Killian took the glass from Emma, swirling the ice around to let it clink against the sides. "Of course, I eat everything," he smirked. "Pirates make the best cookouts, you know. The practice is even older than I am." Maybe he'd do one for 4th of July or whatever they celebrated here. Like those family holidays that were all about _togetherness_.

"I'll even make sure there's a keg," he added, for the Prince's benefit in the kitchen. "Your whiskey selection's not too bad, Charming, maybe there's hope for you yet."

"There should always be a keg," Emma commented while drinking from her glass. She actually _had_ to make this one last, especially if she was going to be drinking wine with dinner. If her glass was empty before then, she'd be tempted to fill it up again, and that didn't need to happen. Emma could only imagine her father's face at Hook's sort-of-compliment, and she chuckled a bit thinking about it. He had his back turned to them, certainly on purpose.

Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was just the lingering awkwardness from the conversation she had with her parents, but Emma didn't feel like waiting around anymore while Snow and Charming tried to keep themselves busy in the kitchen. The chicken would take a while to cook, so she'd find another way to kill time. "Hey, Henry, I think we're going to go get our room at Granny's, so will you give us a call when dinner's almost ready?" Emma asked. Henry responded with a nod, and Emma got up to kiss the top of his head while he continued playing his game.

"We'll be back soon, okay?" Emma said as she set her glass on the counter and headed for the door. Snow wasn't going to protest, as she didn't exactly know how they'd find enough to talk about for an hour without making it any more awkward than it already was.

Oh, leaving already? Drat! Killian downed the rest of his drink, wanting to make sure he poured _all_ that whiskey down his parched throat, and then he barely had time to say farewell to Henry and Emma's mum and father before she was ready to go. He went with her, taking a breath of fresh air that wasn't so heavy with the elephant in the room or general awkwardness. When they _did_ return for dinner, it would be oh-so-grand.

Once they were finally out of there, Emma turned to Hook and looked at him like she was incredibly sorry, though she didn't want to actually apologize because she didn't know what she'd even apologize for. "Thought I'd save us the trouble of coming up with conversation topics," she murmured as she looked away and they headed back toward Granny's. "And I suddenly have a headache."

"It's alright, darling, I've faced much worse," he snickered, his arm around around her, drawing her closer to kiss the top of her head. "Maybe I'll rub your temples to get rid of that headache - if you ask nicely."

Emma smiled when he pulled her closer. Even if the whole reason everything was awkward was because she was with him, she _liked_ being with him. "If I ask nicely? I'm not sure I know how to do that," she teased. "But you've been a good boy so far today, so maybe I can learn." She leaned up a bit to kiss his cheek, a simple thank you for actually putting up with her parents.

As they approached Granny's, Emma prepared herself for _more_ judgmental looks, and sure enough, Granny was none too pleased to be giving a room to the pirate. But she liked Emma, which was the deciding factor. Taking the key, she walked upstairs, not able to help looking at the door of the room that Neal stayed in with Tamara. Their room was right across the hall.

Granny could look at Killian Jones in her judgmental way all she wanted. It didn't bother Hook in any way and besides, it wasn't as if he planned to burn down her quaint little inn here. If she could deal with Regina and Gold (who...didn't own half the town anymore, since he was gone? Hmm) then she could deal with a certain pirate visitor. So he was only focused on Emma, grinning like a Cheshire cat (and adding a wink) at Granny over his shoulder before they went upstairs to their room for the time being.

Emma laid back on the bed after setting her phone and the key on the bedside table, covering her face with both hands for a moment and willing the headache to go away. Hopefully, Hook would be right and it wouldn't always be like this. She shouldn't be so worried about what her parents thought, but she couldn't help it. They really were all she had besides Henry...and now Hook, for as long as he was willing to stick around with her.

He flopped on the bed beside her, pulling her hands from her face so he could actually see her eyes - and so he could kiss her. "It'll be alright, love, I promise. I'm not going anywhere, and I've got plenty time - I'm sure we all do - if it'll take them a bit to get used to the decision you made to be with me." Out of all the rocky spots in their _relationship_, he wouldn't worry so much about her parents.

Emma liked how he always reassured her that everything was going to be okay. "Thank you," she mumbled against his lips, glad to be able to kiss him now that they were alone. She turned over on her side so she could face him now, wanting to see those eyes of his. "You have pretty eyes," she decided to tell him, the alcohol kicking in a bit, but whatever. She was constantly telling him how attractive he was anyway. "And you make me happy. And you're adorable. And I can't really control what's coming out of my mouth right now, but that doesn't mean it's not true."

"Gods above, Emma Swan, you're not allowed to ever drink again," Killian teased her, those deep blue sea eyes shining with amusement at her rather _colorful_ words. "Come here, darling..." He nudged her up so she was sitting, sort of, and could lean back against his chest while he leaned against the headboard. The hook came away from the sleeve of his jacket, arm going around the front of her while his hand came up to touch her jaw, on a pressure point, and rub there before moving elsewhere - up under her ear and to her temple, while his scruffy cheek rested against hers.

As long as he made her happy, he could put up with being described as _adorable_. "You've got pretty everything," he told her in a murmur and oh, the poor stressed out sheriff! Her pirate captain would make it all better. "But feel free to keep talking, I like what you're saying."

Emma moved with him, gladly leaning against his chest. She closed her eyes when he started massaging all of the different pressure points with his fingers, feeling some of the tension melt away. She let out a sigh of contentment, the side of her face pressed against his. If they didn't have to go back for dinner, she would let herself fall asleep. "You want me to keep talking? And tell you how cute you are?"

Perhaps not _quite_ that, but hell, Killian would take it anyway - simply because Emma's quasi-drunken verbal diarrhea was rather hilarious. "You can tell me about how I'm the greatest lover you've ever had and how you, not even in your wildest fantasies involving an overactive imagination and your two fingers, could have _ever_ fathomed that anyone would pleasure you as much as I do," he purred right by her ear - and what a fantastic speech that was, no? Surely Emma would agree with every word that he was saying.

His fingers gently brushed over her jaw, down her neck, caressing her skin with gentle care - or he could have been looking for a place to sink his teeth into. Knowing Killian, it could have been both. "Yes, all of that sounds better than talking about how cute I am," he decided.

Yes, Emma agreed with every word that he said, but did he really need to say something of that nature that was now turning her on? "Well, fuck." She was now blushing again because the area between her legs was tightening at the thought. "Two things - yes, you are the greatest lover I've ever had, so let your ego know, and who said it was only two fingers?" She said the second part in a whisper near his ear, moving her lips against the spot below. They did not go there to have sex, but he was making it incredibly hard to not think about it. Why did he have to be so damn irresistible?

"Good lord, Swan," he laughed in a low, deep rumble, and this time, a shiver ran through Killian, sort of involuntarily as he was unable to control the reaction to her words and where she delicately placed her lips. "Then what was it? Your fingers and...other additions?"

Regale him a tale, please, Captain Hook was _very_ curious, and why the hell wouldn't he be? "You have to remember, we didn't have certain extra _things_ in my day." What Emma had lurking in her bedroom drawers, if anything, was a mystery to him - a scintillating mystery, but a mystery all the same. He was willing to uncover those secrets for his own dirty purposes.

Now he was feeling much the same as she was, and she wondered if she should indulge his question or not, which would certainly make the room more heated. "You really want to know?" she asked in the same voice as before. Not that it was really all that shocking, but it was true that he wouldn't know about sex toys and such. And Emma did have _one_ at a point in her life. Well, she still had it, but she hadn't even looked at it in a year at least.

She ran her hand along his inner thigh, coming back up between his legs. "It looked a lot like this." Her hand stopped over the bulge in his pants. "But it vibrated." She smirked against his neck, her breath hot on his skin. "Surprisingly, I'd still rather have you inside me."

Unsurprisingly, Emma's touch would get Hook's sails to raise right away - there was a quip to be made about masts and the like, but his mind was too busy reeling from the way she sounded, how she touched him, and also with conjuring images of...whatever she was hinting at. "It was a vibrating cock?" he asked, sounding intrigued - and yet slightly horrified. How was such a thing possible? What was it made of, and how did it run?

_Now_ it was getting warmer in here, and this denim would begin to get even more uncomfortable if she kept that up. "I'd rather be inside of you too, I assure you," he insisted. "Though eventually you should show me the...vibrating thing." _His_ vibrating thing was probably bigger anyway and much more impressive.

"Yes, that's exactly what it is." Emma chuckled, her hand moving slightly back and forth, though the denim made it hard to actually feel anything. "I'll show you, but awkwardly enough it's at my parents' place in one of my suitcases from when I first moved here." She'd just have to take the whole suitcase. She needed a change of clothes anyway, and that's where she'd been staying before their trip to Neverland.

The promise of showing him such a wondrous and bizarre device was good enough for Killian. It was...exciting, actually. "Hopefully they haven't gone through your things," he quipped, but it turned into a playful growl at the end as he pulled Emma closer to him, legs intertwined with hers as he nibbled on her lower lip then kissed her chin, and down her throat.

"So what exactly are you going to do about this if Henry calls and says dinner is ready?" she asked, eyeing the area that her hand was covering, which made her remember that she'd told her parents that they had slept together on the ship. That's probably what Charming assumed they were doing now.

"I'll have to fuck you pretty quick then," was his consolation, his hips sort of rolling more into her touch suggestively, but she had quite an effect on him with just her words alone. Though all of the attention and just having her near, her warmth, also helped. "I hear orgasms help headaches." Actually, he had no idea if that was true or not - he'd have asked Whale, but the man wasn't here and Hook preferred it that way.

Emma bit her lip as he kissed down her throat, a quiet groan escaping when he told her of his intentions. Just hearing him say the word 'fuck' was enough to get her wet and ready. "Well, let's find out," she told him, the hand between his legs now at the top of his jeans, undoing the button and the zipper. Emma's lips found his, kissing him hungrily, making it pretty obvious that she was up for trying out that remedy.

They weren't supposed to be doing this until _after_ dinner, but Emma couldn't wait anymore, especially after what they'd been talking about. But they didn't have a lot of time, since it had already been quite a while since they left, and she was expecting a call from Henry.

A grumble resonated from Killian, tongue pushing past Emma's lips - it was a deep kiss, all lust and pheromones, and he would always want her no matter the circumstances. There was no reason why they both couldn't be satisfied, even if it was quick sex. Sometimes it had to be that way - sometimes they wouldn't have time for all of the formalities, as pleasant as they were.

"I like your adventurous, open-minded side," he said, pushing his jeans down. Hers were tugged off too, down her hips, and his touch dipped into her panties to push past the fabric to stroke her and collect wetness on his fingers. His thumb massaged her, brazenly stroking across her clit, as he rumbled out a, "Get on your hands and knees." Demanding, yes, but he wanted it to be a _good_ orgasm to fix her aching head.

There was no time or need to worry about ridding their upper bodies of clothes. They could worry about fully enjoying each other later, but for now, it was just about satisfying that deep urge they both had. Emma bit down on his lip when she felt his hand slip between her legs, and as he told her what he wanted her to do, she listened. She would do pretty much anything he said at this point, especially in that demanding tone he was using. Though if he used that tone any other time outside of when they were having sex, she would probably just roll her eyes and/or hit him.

One last kiss and she was on her hands and knees on the bed, waiting eagerly for him to make the next move.

Panties, begone - they were yanked down hastily, pulled toward Emma's knees, and while Hook would have _loved_ to tease her and make her squirm, they only had precious minutes to spare, so it would be skipping right to pushing her hidden buttons, to the point where it was a relatively quick eruption. He knelt behind her and grabbed her rear for balance, plunging inside of her for a thorough plundering of her depths.

With a groan, he thrust _balls deep_, the expression lost on him until now, but at least it made sense. There was something very primal about sex in this position, something animalistic - which was fitting, as the lack of time didn't lend way for anything else other than pure instinct to want that satisfaction. "Be as loud as you want," he purred, not caring that Granny probably had super wolf hearing. Oh, well!

Her elbows buckled at the first thrust, and she was leaning slightly forward now, her fingers gripping the sheets tightly, a gasp leaving her lips. This was certainly a good position for getting to the point quickly, and though she didn't want to be loud because she knew these walls certainly were not sound proof, she didn't really have a choice. She never had a choice with him, as everything he did to her drove her absolutely crazy. Sure, vibrators were fun to mess around with, but she'd choose him over that any day.

"Faster," she managed to say, her body already giving signs that she wasn't going to last too long. Their words beforehand had been enough foreplay for her.

Her wish was Captain's Hook command. It was then that he started speeding up his pace, being anything but gentle, enjoying the feel of her as he made good on his word to fuck her. His hips moved in sort of circular ways, stimulating that pleasurable spot so deep within her. It was a frenzied pace, completely caught up in everything else that was just pure _fucking_. Of course he still felt the same about her as he always did, but there was something about this that just made him lose control of himself, and he liked it.

"Whatever you want, Emma," he growled, slapping at her ass - so inviting, he couldn't help but give the right amount of attention there. "You're absolutely _lovely_." Especially from this view - yes, he would take it. No complaints at all.

Emma didn't want gentle. They weren't making love, they were fucking. There was a difference, but that didn't mean they couldn't do both. This just happened to be one of the times where fucking was more appropriate to reach the end they wanted.

Someone slapping her ass had never been so appealing as it was then, as was hearing Hook say her name. She didn't think she could possibly grip the bed any tighter than she already was. The way he was moving his hips and the different spots inside her he was hitting caused her to cry out almost every time he thrust into her. She didn't even bother closing her mouth anymore. Eventually, he hit that one spot that sent her inside feeling like they were going to explode, and the words, "right there," came tumbling out, her eyes squeezing shut as she gave in to the pleasure.

He filled her completely; on his knees, he was able to put more power into the force of his thrusts, so it was a good thing Emma was holding onto the bed so tightly - Killian didn't want her to go flying across the room now. "_Emma_," he groaned, half warning her and half just wanting to say her name, as his hand came forward to rub at warmth and stickiness between her thighs.

The feel of being inside of her so deeply, of having her, and the slickness on his fingers catapulted him over the edge - he came hard, spilling within her as his hips jerked hard, the telltale sound of skin hitting skin, and nearly fell atop her but would wait for her knees to give out too, or turn over. Whichever one came first. Talk about a spectacular headache remedy. Books could be written about that one.

The combination of hearing her name again and his fingers rubbing between her legs, along with how hard and deep he was inside her of course, was about all she could take. When he came, it triggered her own orgasm, and she moaned loudly, probably also mumbling something incoherently about how good it felt. Her arms were shaking from holding her up, and her legs were now shaking as well from the intense pleasure he sent coursing through her. They both seemed to want to give out, so she let them, falling down on the bed, her hair covering her face, and she was too tired to move it. How the hell was she supposed to go sit and have dinner with her parents and her son after that?

But hey, at least her headache was now gone. "Like I said," Emma started to say, finally having the strength to turn over and push her hair back. "You are by _far_ the best I've ever had." It certainly wasn't a lie. It wasn't often you found someone you could have consistently good sex with every single time you tried.

Killian fell beside Emma, helping to push her hair away from her face with a tired laugh escaping him. "It's a gift," he stated arrogantly, a spark of pride in his eye, and maybe Hook wasn't magical, but he had a few things under his belt, namely, endurance and survival skills and...skills in bed. He'd had a lot of practice, let's just say. "But you're the best _I've_ ever had," he murmured, lightly kissing her mouth.

That was true. And he suspected that he enjoyed sex with Emma so much partly because she had her _talents _but also because of how he felt about her. That contributed a lot to making it so good. His fingers trailed down along her body with a barely-there touch, everything probably so hyper-sensitive, as he crawled up the top half of her clothing to caress her skin. Good lord, he wished that they didn't have to _leave_ - he very much wanted to encourage another round.

Emma stared at the ceiling for a moment before turning her face to look at Hook, a lazy smile on her face as he kissed her. She also had had to acquire her own set of survival skills from a young age, and those skills in bed, well, a lady didn't kiss and tell. And maybe she believed him and maybe she didn't, but he was telling her that she was also the best he'd ever had, so maybe it was true. Though Emma being Emma, she had a hard time accepting the compliment. "Now that's saying something." She couldn't help but tease him about all the women she was sure he'd slept with.

She watched his fingers move up her body, wishing they could lay there all night. But alas, they could not. Another round would have to wait as her phone started ringing.

* * *

**AN: AH! I know you were curious about the dinner with the Charmings, but that will just have to wait until the next chapter because Killian and Emma wanted to have some more fun first. **


	10. Chapter 10

With a sigh, Emma sat up and grabbed her phone, listening as Henry told her that dinner would be ready in five minutes. She told him they would be there soon before hanging up. "I guess that's our cue to make our way back."

When the little mobile phone went off, Killian wanted to smash it. Damn that infernal contraption! "Unfortunately so," he sighed, not exactly feeling the need to move - but since Emma's parents and Henry were expecting them, he supposed they had little choice in the matter. And it would be a shame for the princess to have cooked for only three people when she meant to cook for four and one pirate!

Besides, when it got difficult and awkward (as it inevitably would at some point), he'd just think of Emma naked or fucking her from behind to soothe him.

Emma pulled him closer so she could kiss him, one long slow kiss that was the complete opposite of how they had kissed before. This one was full of promise that regardless of everything else that had happened, she was his and she was happy to be with him.

"I'll be on my best behavior too," he promised, his hand curling on the back of her neck when she kissed him. He allowed himself to enjoy it, to indulge in how uncharacteristically sweet it was, returning that kiss and adding another.

It couldn't possibly be too terrible. Charming had gotten his fatherly talk out of the way before, and Snow wanted to be polite because she knew Emma wanted everyone to get along. And of course Henry was a fan after the day they spent on the Jolly Roger. "You better be after that," she said in between kisses.

And she knew she could sit there and kiss him for forever, so she had to pull away, pushing his chest playfully. "Stop being so damn irresistible." Emma slid off the bed, collecting her jeans from the floor so she could put them on. She tossed Hook his, grabbing her phone and sliding it in her back pocket.

Alright, trousers back on, the rest of his clothes fastened and buttoned as usual, like he didn't just ravish Emma for a quick fuck - Killian was ready to go. "Do you _really_ believe I'm irresistible?" he teased her, arm without the hook attached to the end thrown around her shoulders for the walk back to her parents' place. As long as Granny didn't look at him with her judging eyes on the way out, then Hook would be just fine.

"Because actually, I think the same thing about you. How am I going to get through a bottle of wine at the dinner table without thinking of pouring it on certain areas of your body and then licking it up?" The trials and tribulations of his life; everything was so difficult when you were a pirate who fancied Emma Swan, savior of Storybrooke and product of true love.

Luckily, Granny was not downstairs when they left, and hopefully, she hadn't been down there earlier either. That would definitely get back to Charming and Snow if Granny heard anything, she was sure of that. But Emma wasn't going to not have sex just because someone might hear it.

"You know, you could tell me these things after dinner. I don't need to be thinking about it all evening, too." Emma wrapped an arm around his waist, making it easier to walk with his arm around her. "Remind me to take a bottle before we leave." They were both too sexual for their own good. Now every time she took a sip of wine, she'd be thinking about Hook's tongue on her skin. Hopefully, she wouldn't let anything stupid come out of her mouth in front of her parents or Henry.

"You know what works better than wine?" Emma, of course, had to instigate these thoughts further. "Whipped cream."

"Whipped cream, strawberries - how about if I just turn you into a lovely little fruit salad?" Killian joked, but oh, he was even more intrigued about the idea of...whipped cream. Emma tasted delicious on her own, her own unique essence that he'd gladly consume like honeyed ambrosia, but nothing wrong with _additions_ to the experience. "Yes, we'll take a bottle of wine and some whipped cream. I'm sure your parents won't find that suspicious."

He was teasing, but damn her for putting those images in his head. Though really, Hook told himself to rein in those dirty thoughts for now - there would be plenty of time later, and he didn't want to be distracted during dinner. Already Charming would assume they left only to have sex (alright, and he wouldn't be wrong), and Killian didn't want to give him any more cause to turn a 'family exercise' into an inquisition.

"Probably shouldn't have blatantly told them that we slept together on the ship. Now that's all my dad will think about for the rest of the day." Not that Charming didn't already assume it, but whatever. She'd walked in on him and Snow having sex _while _Henry was with her. They didn't bother to even lock the door. And now they were standing outside that same door, so Emma pulled his face to hers so she could kiss him one last time before they went inside.

Hopefully Charming wouldn't _want_ to think about his daughter fucking someone (and how good at it she was) because wasn't that a bit strange? She was also a grown woman and couldn't be expected to be celibate, especially when she clearly had needs - needs that Killian was very pleased to fill. "Just don't tell him where else we slept together," he said before a flash of a grin, but he kissed her in return before going back inside.

The table had just finished being set when they walked in, and Emma was glad for that. They could just get right to eating and not have to sit around awkwardly like before. Emma sat next to Henry, who was sitting next to Snow, which meant the only open seat for Hook was between Emma and Charming. Oops. She could apologize for that later.

At least Hook fit in here at this particular table, not feeling _too_ awkward in his 'modern' clothes, and he took the open seat with an enigmatic smile at Prince Charming, who didn't look as pleased, but hey. He'd get over it because there was wine, which he generously poured now that everyone was seated - except for Henry, he got milk. Growing boys needed calcium.

"So," Charming started, napkin in his lap. Yep, just a family dinner, that's all this was. "What plans do you all have for the rest of the week?"

Emma was glad for the wine, though she had to make sure to right her thoughts after what Hook had said about what he'd like to do with that wine. When Charming asked what plans they had for the rest of the week, she almost laughed. He was trying so hard. Emma honestly had no idea what she was doing the rest of the week and instead took a bite of chicken so that she wouldn't have to answer. Real mature, right? Henry answered instead, asking Charming if he would continue their sword fighting lessons.

"What about you two?" Snow asked Hook and Emma, even though her daughter was clearly in the middle of chewing. Emma just stared at her, shrugging her shoulders. _Think, think, think._

Erm...well, bollocks. Killian had no idea what he and Emma were planning for the rest of the week - and clearly he couldn't say something like, "We would like to explore the idea of using wine and whipped cream in our fucking sessions, and I also asked for her to show me her vibrating cock. By the way, you've got it here." However, he was talented at thinking on his feet and could come up with something that was suitable for even Henry to hear.

"Emma's going to give me a more thorough tour of modern life," he settled on. "She's even going to teach me to operate her...automobile. Thing." Yes, the car, whatever it was called - the strange carriage, that's what Hook knew it as. "Let's hope I won't end up in the hospital again," he winked.

"Cars are a bit strange when you think about it, but I guess when you've been cursed and using them for twenty-eight years, you get used to it," Snow said, even though she hadn't actually driven all that much. Emma, on the other hand, had been driving since before she was even legally allowed. Hell, the car she was driving now she stole when she was seventeen. It was probably time for a new one, but she couldn't bear to part with it. There was a lot of sentimental value to it, more so now that Neal was gone.

In order to charm the hostess, Killian made sure to tell her, "This is all delicious, by the way, my dear. Your Charming is quite the lucky man."

"I made the salad," pouted Charming, wanting credit for what he did, too!

Emma smiled to herself when Hook complimented Snow. He was doing well so far. "Why thank you! And yes, I like to think he is quite lucky," Snow replied with a look her husband's way.

"Well, the salad's my favorite part, so good job," Emma said to Charming. "You are excellent at mixing vegetables together." Henry laughed, suddenly getting up from the table as he remembered the gold coin he'd obtained on the ship, which was sitting with his game. "You're not done already?" Snow asked, but Henry returned, holding the little piece of treasure in his hand. He proceeded to discuss everything he'd done and learned that afternoon aboard the Jolly Roger. Emma was glad for that because it took up a lot of time and kept the attention off of her. It also made Hook look good since he'd been the one to make Henry so happy.

Yes, talking Hook up - that was so nice of the boy to do. Killian would have to be sure to provide him with more treasure later. He certainly had enough to spare, and if it would get Henry to regale his grandparents with tales of the Captain's fantastic generosity and behavior? Then he could have all the jewels on the ship.

"Oh, it was no trouble at all," he said, ever the modest pirate. See, Charming, wasn't he _so _good for your daughter? He wanted to get in good with Henry, her most precious son and that had to say something! "I'm glad the young lad enjoyed himself." Now he just hoped that Henry (or anyone else) wouldn't bring up the idea of Hook sailing away on that same ship. It was something he wasn't prepared to talk about, exactly. "Emma's a fine pirate, too," he made sure to add. "I've always said we make quite the team."

Snow was certainly wondering just when exactly Hook planned on leaving, but she wasn't about to bring that up in the middle of dinner, and she just hoped Charming felt the same way. She was coming around a lot more than her husband was, and hearing how much Henry seemed to like Hook was helping, but she would always be wary.

And Emma certainly didn't want to talk about that either. "Well, in Neverland we made a good team. Anywhere else, I was usually kicking your butt," she said with a smirk, remembering their sword fight before leaving the Enchanted Forest. She would have said kicking his _ass_, but she censored her words for Henry's sake. "That is true. I was a witness to that fight," Snow added, getting a good chuckle out of thinking about that.

Charming's face didn't look like he understood why they could all make light of the situation where Cora and Hook tried to keep them from getting back to Storybrooke, but it was over with now. Cora was dead, and Hook wouldn't do anything to hurt Emma.

"I've gotten you on your back a few times, Swan," Killian quipped, but realized that sounded kind of dirty. "...in swordfighting," he made sure to clarify, lest her parents think that he was making reference to their romps in the bedroom and elsewhere. "We even climbed that beanstalk together! Then you left me there at the top to face certain doom."

And he returned the favor by leaving her in a cell, but it turned out alright in the end. Besides, he understood why she did it now - he had understood then too, but that didn't mean he had accepted it at the time. "I bet you thought you'd be rid of me. How wrong you were." It made him grin devilishly, because look at them now! Kindred spirits, having dinner with her parents.

Emma almost spit her wine out when Hook said he'd gotten her on her back. Thank god he added the sword fighting bit, or her father would have had a stroke. Well, he already looked like he was going to anyway. "I knew the giant wasn't going to kill you. But you were scared." She had to admit that the climb down the beanstalk wasn't nearly as fun since she had to do it by herself, and it had freaked her out enough on the way up. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again, but I should have known better." She sent a smile his way, her hand finding his leg under the table since she couldn't exactly hold his hand if she was going to let him eat.

Killian bristled at the insinuation that he was _scared_. Alright, so he was, but he wasn't about to admit that at the dinner table! "Death by giant is hardly a pleasant way to go," was all he said, returning the smile - though with a dangerously playful narrowing of his glittering sapphire eyes, like she'd be in for it later. "I'm sure you knew I wouldn't die - even then you must have been able to recognize my extraordinary skill to survive." Yep, nothing killed him - he'd be sticking around for a long, long time.

"Remember when you shot that gun and attracted the ogres?" Snow decided to bring up some memories from that trip as well, laughing about the fact that Emma even thought a gun would do much of anything over in that land. "Hey, I didn't know that they were blind and had super good hearing," Emma said in defense of her poor decision. "I want to see an ogre," Henry chimed in, to which Emma responded, "No, you definitely don't." It almost felt a bit normal now that they were all just telling stories and forgetting about the elephant in the room that was Emma and Hook's relationship.

Hearing Snow bring up Emma's flub with the gun was also amusing, and he chuckled genuinely. "They're nasty creatures. I bet your mum saved your ahh - " Okay, he shouldn't say 'ass' in front of the boy, "...your bum from the ogres too, darling. So well done there, Princess Snow. And you don't want to see an ogre, lad." He agreed with Emma there. "They're worse than dragons...specifically Maleficent." Who he slayed in zombie form, actually. Wasn't that impressive?

Hook bringing up Maleficent intrigued Henry, and he couldn't help but ask about that story. Everyone, except for possibly Charming, but he was coming around, seemed to be enjoying themselves, and while the boys were talking, Emma and Snow got up to take all the dirty dishes into the kitchen and get them clean. Snow was glad to have a bit of alone time with her daughter, even if it was only a few feet away, to tell her that she was sorry she'd been so quick to judge before and that she'd work on Charming. It was clear that Emma was happy, and that was enough for her after seeing them together that night.

Once the dishes were clean and the leftovers put away, Emma went back over to the table, standing behind Hook with her hands on his shoulders. She leaned down to kiss his cheek, asking, "So what tale are you telling him now?" Henry was so obviously enthralled, and she even thought her father looked like he was getting into it, too. Or he was just being polite. Either way, he wasn't making any snide comments.

Charming hadn't heard the story of Hook slaying Maleficent beneath the Storybrooke clock tower either (after being left for dead there by Regina...thanks a lot, Queenie) but he listened with a raised eyebrow and a neutral expression on his face. Maybe Killian Jones wasn't _so_ bad. Sure, he was the very definition of 'wild card' and flip-flopped all too often depending on who promised him Rumpelstiltskin's death at that particular time, but David could also see that he was very much a broken man. And that maybe Emma was helping put him back together again.

He considered it as he went into the kitchen to see about dessert and coffee, and Henry remained at the table still obviously fascinated with Hook's tales. "I'm telling him about mermaids in Neverland," Killian replied, flashing Emma a smile as he tipped his head back to look up at her. "He wanted to know if they were like the Disney version...unfortunately, that doesn't seem the case."

"Is _anything_ like the Disney version?" Emma asked rhetorically, knowing that the answer was no. There were not nearly as many happy endings. It was hard to believe how many times Emma had read and watched Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as a child and not once had the possibility that she was her mother crossed her mind, and now here she was, standing in her loft.

"So..." That was Charming's favorite lead-in, apparently. He stood in the doorway of the kitchen, offering Emma a sheepish _sorry I've been acting like a dick_ smile. "Who wants lemon chess pie?" There was no way in hell anyone would have apple, never again.

Emma looked up when Charming offered them pie, smiling back as a way of saying that she forgave him. "Me!" Henry said, raising his hand. "Well, I won't say no to pie. Here let me help you." Emma went into the kitchen to get down some smaller plates while Snow cut the pie into slices. Just thinking about apples made her sick, and she was sure that she would never again eat one in any shape or form.

After bringing two pieces to the table, one for Henry and one for Hook, Emma went back to grab one for herself while her parents brought theirs to the table. She couldn't really explain the way that she was feeling in that moment as she sat down and realized that that night was the first time they could actually enjoy themselves without having to rush out and save the town afterward. Who knew how long it would last, but for now, they could just focus on being a family. They were all even being accepting of Hook that night, and even though Emma knew he wouldn't always be there, at least he was there for that night. At least she knew now that it _was _possible to include him without screwing anything up between her and her family.

Who in their right mind could turn down pie? No one, that's who. Even pirates who had eaten everything and anything while scouring the seas enjoyed the stuff - and Killian liked sweet things too, in mostly small doses. "You'll have to write to Disney, tell them how wrong they are," he said when Emma sat back down at the table, and he gave her leg a pat before picking up his fork. "For instance, Peter Pan is _not_ so nice." Why did Hook always get written off as the villain? Because he had a weapon for a hand? Entirely unfair!

"Now, who made the pie?" he asked after taking the first bite. "Charming, was it you? With a 'Kiss the Cook' apron and everything?"

"No, I'm not much of a baker. I'd have burned the house down," he chuckled good-naturedly. He wasn't so bad of a chef but baking was...certainly not his 'thing.' "I think it's from Granny's, actually," he said about their dessert. "I only trust baked goods from there." And, you know, _not _anything from Regina's place. One time of Henry in a coma was quite enough, thank you.

Emma wasn't much of a cook herself. She preferred things that went in the microwave if she was making dinner, which is why she tended not to. She'd always been alone, so there was no need to make a big dinner for just herself, so she never even tried. That was one benefit to having her mother around, especially one who wanted to make up for lost time. Lots of good food.

She didn't blame them for not trusting anyone else, especially since it was her fault that Henry was put under that sleeping curse. Emma blamed herself for far too much and still had a hard time letting go of it all, but she was trying, and she pushed those thoughts out of her mind as soon as they came in because she didn't want them to show on her face.

As it got later, Emma could see that Henry was getting tired, as much as he was trying to stay awake. He'd had a pretty long day. "I think it's time for bed, kid." Henry shook his head. "No, it's not that late yet," he said, insisting that he wasn't tired, but if he stayed up any longer he would probably fall asleep at the table. "Yeah, it is. Come on." Emma held her hand out, standing up so she could go with him upstairs and say good night since she wouldn't be there when he woke up this time. She didn't exactly plan on leaving Hook alone with her parents, but she didn't think about that until after she was already upstairs and tucking Henry in. She assured him that just because she wasn't living there didn't mean he wouldn't get to see her every day, and after receiving a big hug, she kissed his forehead and pulled the covers up for him so he could get some rest.

When Emma went to put Henry to bed, Killian willingly stayed with Snow and Charming, rather than make up an excuse to step outside...for a smoke? He didn't even smoke, really, so that wouldn't have been believable. No, he simply stayed downstairs giving them a hand (just one!) with the rest of the dessert dishes and making sure the leftover pie got back into the fridge. Being so domestic almost made him twitch, but hopefully Emma wouldn't take too long.

He also insisted that they didn't need to take any leftover chicken or pie (did all mothers think their children didn't eat?), but promised the parents that they'd be back for dinner again...soon. When, he didn't know, but even David seemed to want them to come back. Perhaps it wasn't so terrible of an experience after all.

"Just take good care of her," David made sure to say to Killian. "That's all we ask." And that was all he said on the matter too, for now.

Emma came back downstairs a few minutes later to a clean table and was actually relieved that they wouldn't have to stay any longer. It had been a nice evening, but she was ready for some more alone time with her pirate. "Ready to go?" she asked, coming to stand beside Hook. She'd just missed her father telling him to take good care of her but could tell something had been said. Whatever it was, she wasn't going to ask.

"Thanks for dinner," Emma said as Snow stepped forward to wrap her in a hug. And, of course, Charming had to hug her as well. He'd gone through a bit of a change of a heart that night, and Emma just hoped that he would keep it up because it made her happy that they could be happy for her, regardless of their initial feelings toward Hook. "You know you can come over any night. _Both_ of you," Snow made sure to say, making her approval known.

Now, it seemed like they could get out the door, but just before she stepped outside, Emma remembered. Her duffel bag. Besides the fact that she did need clothes, there was something else that Hook was particularly interested in seeing. "Hold on," she said, quietly making her way back upstairs, careful not to disturb Henry, so she could grab it. The other suitcases she'd brought could wait, as she had nothing important in them.

"Goodnight!" she said to her parents, finally closing the door behind her. "Couldn't forget this." Emma said with a smirk, slinging it over her shoulder as they walked back toward Granny's.

A perfectly lovely evening it had been, but so much domesticity and Captain Hook might wither and die. He'd thanked the host and hostess like the charming rogue he was, but was grateful that he and Emma didn't have to stick around for something like...a post-dinner digestif or a game of Parcheesi. He tossed a smirk her way in response too, volleying back, and glanced at the duffel bag with a certain amount of...dirty curiosity.

"I can't believe you got that, Swan," he chuckled deviously. "Of course, brought a little parting gift, too..." In his good hand, there it was - fingers wrapped around the neck of a bottle of white wine. It was Muscat! Surely the Charming's didn't want that one!

"Well, my man gets what he wants." Emma's mouth turned up in a smirk at the fact that she'd just referred to him as hers. And then she saw the wine. "Seriously? We are never going to sleep tonight." Not that she minded as they both had quite an endurance built up. There was no reason for them to get up early in the morning anyway.

When they arrived back at Granny's, Emma didn't even bother to look and see if she was around, just went straight upstairs to their room and unlocked the door. She tossed the bag on the floor and set her phone and keys aside so that they wouldn't get flung around the room when her pants inevitably came off.

"Come here." She grabbed him by the belt loops on his jeans and pulled his body to hers. Something about the way he was acting with her family tonight really just made him all that much more attractive. "You did much better than I expected you would tonight. I think you held up your end of the bargain pretty well." Sure, she'd already slept with him once that day, but whatever.

Emma Swan, so demanding! But Killian supposed it was her turn to order _him_ around - since he was all about equality in the bedroom, and he didn't want a submissive partner _all _of the time. So he went gladly, his body colliding with hers in such a way to knock the breath from him - and his arm, still holding the wine, looped around her waist as he ducked his head slightly to kiss her. Once, twice, a few times; he lost count and it didn't matter anyway.

"I _told_ you I would be on my best behavior," he purred innocently, such a good little kitten. "They thought I took the wine because I'm a late-night drinker, I'm sure." And that was part of it. But the other part was that he thought it would taste better being licked off of Emma, and what was wrong with that? "And so if I held up my end of the bargain, what do I get now in return?"

Emma brought one hand up to rest behind his head as she kissed him back, her mouth and his mouth moving together perfectly as they always did. "What do you get? You get a long night of me in that bed, with no clothes on, begging you to do _very_ dirty things to me." The last few words were said close to his ear in that whisper of a voice he seemed to like so much the last time she used it.

She moved back from him after that, keeping eye contact for a moment before taking the wine from him and setting it on the bed side table so he wouldn't drop it. "How's that sound?" She cocked her head to the side, waiting for his answer.

A shiver rippled through him, that voice of hers cutting right to the heart of it. And oh, Killian was ready for _this_ extravaganza - the promises Emma made were all too tempting to pass up. "It sounds perfect," he replied, edging closer to her, like he was zeroing in on the best place to start ripping her clothes off. "You're overdressed though, and so am I." Because if _she_ promised to be without any clothes, it would only be fair that he returned the favor.

"What dirty things does the lady want?" he asked, reaching out to snag the waist of Emma's jeans with his hook, using it to yank her even closer. "Because I bet I'd _love_ to hear you beg for them."

When he yanked her closer with his hook, she looked down at the cold metal that was now touching her skin. She hated to admit how arousing that thing could be, but it certainly did get her skin burning. "For one, I want to see you..." She started unbuttoning his shirt. "...with nothing on." After finishing with his shirt, she took her own off, not wasting any time. She figured she could manage both of their jeans just fine with her eyes closed, so she tilted her head up to kiss him. As her tongue found his, her fingers undid the buttons and zippers, and she pushed his jeans down past his hips first and then hers.

She still had her bra and panties on, but she wanted to continue kissing him for the time being, so she wrapped both arms around his neck to keep him close as her mouth continued ravaging his. Her teeth sunk gently into his bottom lip, sucking and pulling on it for a moment before trailing her kisses down along his jaw and to his neck.

That must have been aphrodisiac pie at dinner - either way, Killian wasn't complaining _or_ thinking about what Snow and Charming were doing now that Henry was asleep. He was too focused on Emma tearing his clothes off and getting lost within those passionate kisses, but he managed to find his way back enough to help rid her of her clothing, pushing and pulling at both his _and_ hers while a hungry sound left him and he pushed his tongue past her kiss-swollen lips, a snap and a starved graze of teeth, fit and ready to devour her, too.

"I won't put anything on until the morning," he promised, calloused fingers unfastening her bra and he practically yanked the straps down her arms. "And neither will you." She was pressed up against him so close, he still continued those electrifying stream of kisses but wanted her on that bed so he nudged her back until there was nowhere else to go but into the sheets.

She felt like she couldn't get enough of him and only stopped kissing him when he started nudging her toward the bed. "I like the sound of that," she said in reference to neither of them putting any clothes on until the morning. Emma kept moving until the back of her legs touched the bed and then she fell on her back, inching back so her body was fully on it. Her legs were spread apart, inviting him to get on top of her or do whatever he wanted, really. "Your move." She watched him intently, both of their eyes showing how hungry they were for one another.

"Anything for you, darling," darkly purred the pirate, sliding up over Emma on the bed. He knelt there over her, reaching over to grab the wine bottle - and the hook, since it came in handy as a bottle opener, too. The cork was removed with a _pop_, and the Muscat dripped on her skin - in between her breasts and on her nipple; he let it stay there to evaporate and feel cool while he licked a strip up her chest. Then, ever so slowly, the warmth of his tongue contrasted with the coolness of the evaporating wine from her nipple and..._delicious_.

It was dry yet fruity; it tasted like extraordinary ripe grapes and also had a musky taste to it too, though whether that was the wine or her skin or a combination of both, he was still deciding. To test the theory more he ran his mouth along more wine-soaked skin - across her hipbones, her inner thighs. He even turned her over and had a lick down her spine, into the dip at the small of her back where he lingered.

Emma bit her lip in anticipation as Hook got on top of her, watching as the bottle was opened and wine poured out onto her skin. The wine bled down her body and pooled between her breasts. The feel of his tongue running in a line up the middle of her was already driving her crazy, and she closed her eyes when it was licking the alcohol from her nipple, breathing out a small moan.

It was even worse when he was licking across her hip bones and her inner thighs because all Emma could think about was how much she wanted to feel his tongue between her legs and making her body quiver with that mouth of his. When he flipped her over so that he could lick down her spine, she couldn't stand it anymore. Who knew someone licking wine off of you could get you this worked up?

When he stopped at the small of her back, her fingers tightened around the sheets. She turned back around, wanting to do the same to him, but she'd get to that. "Before I forget..." Emma got off the bed and walked the short distance to her bag, rummaging through it until she found what she was looking for. "I believe you wanted to see this." She tossed the vibrator onto the bed, and it looked much like she had described.

Getting Emma _delightfully_ worked up was a sight to see - after all, a woman's skin was an important organ and one of the most sensitive parts of her. It didn't make much sense to neglect such a crucial aspect of her body wherein the possibilities were endless, especially when she was so _perfect_. Teeth bared in the dim light of their room, he scooted back when Emma turned over again and fetched the...thing. The vibrating cock. This was it?

Killian eyed it cautiously. Like it was a viper about to spring to life and bite him.

Yes, that was certainly a cock that...was not real. "How does it work?" he asked, oh-so-innocently. "Show me." He wanted to be involved, naturally, but an exhibitionist demonstration? Why not?

Emma's eyebrows quirked up in surprise when he told her he wanted her to show him how it worked. So he wanted her to pleasure herself in front of him? She could do that. Emma got back onto the bed, first focusing on him for a moment, her lips pressing to his in a short but firm kiss. "I certainly will show you," she said with that smirk on her face again. She leaned back against the pillows, her thumbs hooked under the waistband of the last piece of clothing she had yet to remove, pulling down until they were past her ankles and tossed to the floor. She honestly wondered how long he could last just watching her and not participating. It would be interesting to find out.

She didn't start off using the toy right away, just let it lay beside her as her fingers got her ready. Her middle finger moved in circles around her clit, occasionally dipping down and disappearing inside of her for a moment. This didn't last too long, just long enough to give him a bit of an opening act before the main attraction. Now, she grabbed the vibrator and flicked the switch, hearing the faint buzz that meant it was on.

Leaning her head back against the headboard and closing her eyes, she placed it between her legs and let it work its magic. The vibrations against her most sensitive spot caused her to bite down hard on her lip, and she gradually moved it farther south, pushing it inside her and moving it back and forth, her back arching slightly off the bed. It may have been a toy that was actually inside her, but she was thinking only of Hook.

It was...the _most_ attractive thing he had ever seen; eyes widened as if Killian were witnessing the eighth wonder of the world and not positioned between Emma's spread legs, watching her pleasure herself. But good _lord_ - not that his erection was anything to sneeze at before but now he felt like every heartbeat, every rapidly _increasing_ heartbeat, was pushing him toward completely losing control of himself again.

He almost joined in. His hands were itching to grab hold of _something_, to work himself into a frenzy, but he decided he wanted to get her soaked and writhing and _then_ he would fuck her. "You are a dirty, dirty girl," he informed her once that thing was inside of her, but judging by the glint in his eye he was intrigued, not repulsed. His fingers slid up her inner thigh and in between, seeking out her clit which he began to massage, but then he couldn't stop himself. His mouth replaced his fingers, sucking her clit into his mouth and flicking his tongue over it while he took control of the vibrating _thing_, penetrating her, refusing to let go.

It was a good thing that he had taken control of the so-called _thing_ because if he hadn't, Emma might have dropped it. At first it was just his fingers, and she could barely handle that, so when his mouth took over, she thought she was going to lose her mind. It was a lot to feel at one time - his mouth, his tongue, the vibrations. Her fingers curled in his hair, knees coming up somewhat as she couldn't exactly keep still with everything going on between her legs.

There was no more biting her lip. No, she _had _to release what she was feeling somehow, and that was in the form of many, many moans and words that ranged from 'oh god' to 'fuck'. Quite the combination. And of course, having something vibrating inside of you is bound to speed up the amount of time it takes to orgasm, so Emma could feel it coming on quickly and powerfully in no time. Her legs were shaking slightly, and she barely had time to think about it before it was happening. Her insides clenched around what was inside of her, and her back arched even more than it had before.

"How was that for a demonstration?" she asked after it was over, laying a bit limp now, her eyes still closed but a smile was on her face. Even though she was still breathing heavier than normal, she was far from ready to quit. "Now you know how it works."

There was a rumble that came from the pirate, the strokes of his tongue licking Emma clean once she rode out her orgasm, catching every last bit of her essence that flowed into his mouth. Killian took a breath once he emerged from down below, the back of his hand running across his mouth as he looked her over, and he was breathing heavily, too.

"A perfect demonstration, darling," Hook assured her, angling in between her thighs, hardness and heat - so hot he might have burned a hole through his hand if he tried to get off himself - pressing up against her. "So perfect it drove me a bit mad. Let me..." He lurched forward and kissed her desperately, with a degree of lustful sloppiness in the expression. "Let me have you." If he couldn't be inside of her he was going to explode into space.

Emma could tell how turned on he was, not just from how hard he was as he pressed up against her, but from the look on his face as well. Even if she hadn't been in the mood for more, she would have been after seeing that. The way he wanted her so badly was driving _her_ mad. She returned his kiss, equally desperate for the contact, and almost couldn't speak when he pulled away to ask her permission. "You can always have me," was her reply. And it was the truth. She'd found that she couldn't say no to him, and more importantly, that she didn't want to. She wanted him, all of him, and not just sexually, though at that point in time, that was all that she was thinking about. Even though she was still a bit sensitive from the previous orgasm that had ended only moments ago, she still wanted to feel him inside her and pulled his face back to hers so she could kiss him again. "And I _really_ need you."

"You're so beautiful, darling," Killian managed to say against Emma's lips, his parting as he struggled to _breathe_. He felt like he couldn't, like he forgot how - all he knew for sure was that Emma was _maddening_, and he couldn't get enough of her. He was under her skin and she was under his, and he couldn't tell where he ended and she began, and that didn't bother him in the slightest.

The vibrating cock _thing_ was oh-so-delightful, but it had been merely a stepping stone, a fun addition to their activities. Now _he_ needed her. Kneeling between her thighs, he lifted her hips slightly, supporting her, and then glided into her - a hiss of relief escaped him, and his initial rhythm wasn't hard and rough like it sometimes could be. He went slow...er. Slower than he wanted to be, but he was torn because he mostly wanted to just enjoy the feel of her and the way she looked rather than give into a manic frenzy.

Emma breathed out hard when he entered her, her head hitting the pillows since she moved slightly lower on the bed. Neither of them had fully caught their breath from before, and it made that first thrust all the more intense for her. She was also torn between wanting to enjoy the slower pace and wanting him to go faster, be harder and rougher. She just wanted him period.

His face was too far away from hers, and she reached out for him, one of her hands on her shoulder and urging him to lean forward and be closer. Once he was, she wrapped her legs around, pulling his face to hers, their lips colliding in a hard, lust-filled kiss. The sounds she was making were made against his mouth, _into_ his mouth, and she couldn't get herself to pull away even if she tried.

Killian dropped to his elbows so he could be closer to Emma; the way she hooked her legs around him was what he wanted too, pulling him deeper into her, pulling him nearer like she could swallow him whole. The sounds he made mixed with hers, a desperate moan as every snap of his hips, an increase in tempo, pushed him further toward the release he needed. He was holding back, wanting to take and enjoy everything, even though the first sight of her inserting that _thing_ into herself drove him absolutely mad; he was surprised he didn't have to be pried off of the ceiling.

"You're mine, Emma," he said to her, teeth nipping at her lower lip. "You're _mine_." And he was hers just as much, if she wasn't already aware.

Hearing him say that she was his caused quite the reaction in her, as she felt everything deep inside her tightening and begging for that second release. Just those words seemed to be as powerful as his thrusts, her mouth hanging open, her forehead pressed to his, and she couldn't get enough. Having her legs wrapped around him kept him hitting those deep spots, and Emma could feel herself getting closer and closer with every second that passed. It got to the point where she even found herself murmuring _so close_ out loud because she felt like she was about to explode at any moment and didn't want him to stop what he was doing. Not like he had any intentions of stopping, but she couldn't exactly think straight and whatever felt like coming out of her mouth would.

A few moans later and that was it. Nails dug into skin as she called out his name and felt him still moving inside of her as her muscles clenched around him. This orgasm being even better than the first, she could barely talk afterward, just laid there beneath him. She let her legs fall to his sides, though, unable to keep them elevated any longer.

Hips still jerking to stay with her, when Emma hit that peak Killian wasn't too far behind. He finally let himself reach and grasp what he needed, the tension almost too much to bear, spilling hot and urgent inside of her with a growl by ear her. Everything seemed to melt out of him then - his muscles and his bones, and he didn't want to crush her but didn't exactly want to move either.

Instead he let himself catch his breath, feeling her legs slide off of him on either side of his waist and he let out a long, satisfied sigh, nuzzling the top of her jaw with his nose. The nail marks were still fresh but they felt good; they were marks he would bear with a certain amount of pride. "Emma, you're..."

Hook didn't have the words to describe her. "You make me quite happy, Emma." Maybe it sounded sappy or stupid but his brain was like one big pile of porridge. Then he did move off of her, reluctantly, but fell beside her instead to draw her to him with an arm.

Emma didn't quite know what to say to that at first, so she stayed quiet, the sound of their breathing filling the room. They kept telling each other how they felt in little bits and pieces one day at a time, and every time he said anything about how he felt about her, Emma felt herself growing more and more attached to him. And that scared her because everyone important in her life had always inevitably left her alone, and she couldn't help but feel like making him happy wasn't enough to keep him around.

Once he pulled her closer, she knew she had to say something, though. "You make me happy, too." The classic response. She was sure she could come up with something better than that, but she settled. Instead of saying anything else, Emma kissed him - her favorite way to show him how much she cared about him. It was much easier for her than actually using words since she'd never been very good at that. But these slow yet urgent kisses were more than enough.

"Good, darling. I'm glad."

Because he understood Emma so well, her actions spoke volumes to Killian anyway - when she kissed him like that, it was like the words were spelled out before him to read. His lips met hers and he took his time to taste her and kiss her deeply, his hand curling around the back of her knee to hitch her leg up across his hip. Stroking up and down that leg he continued to kiss her over and over again, until he couldn't breathe and was dizzy because of it.

Then when the endless kiss broke (mostly due to him needing oxygen) he exhaled a shallow breath and tucked his head under her chin, sort of resting there with his arms around her and legs intertwined so he could feel, and hear, her heartbeat. There was a good chance he might fall asleep like this, so sated he was.

It was a seemingly endless kiss, but Emma just didn't want to stop. They just kept kissing until her lips were as tired as the rest of her body, and she needed to let herself breathe. Every night they spent together was another night she was closer to feeling less broken, and that was a comfort to her, as was him just being there, of course. She wrapped her arms around him as well, closing her eyes as her head rested atop his. With everything that was swimming around in her head, she knew she wouldn't fall asleep quickly, but she didn't want to keep him awake, so she just held onto him and pretended that she'd never have to let go.


	11. Chapter 11

_That feeling that doesn't go away just did_  
_And I walked a thousand miles to prove it_  
_And I'm caught in the crossfire of my own thoughts_  
_The color of my blood is all I see on the rocks_  
_As you sail from me_

Two weeks. It had been two weeks in Storybrooke with Hook, and honestly, Emma was shocked that he'd lasted this long. Things had been quiet, so she would go down to the station with Charming from time to time, but there wasn't much to do. They'd ventured out into other cities some days to avoid being _too_ boring and _domestic_. Emma hated that word almost as much as Hook did. There were, of course, other dinners with her family and lots of outings with Henry, who had really grown attached to Hook, and things were too good to be true for her. She woke up every day wondering if today would be the day that Hook would leave, but on that morning, the thought ironically did not occur.

Hook appeared to still be sleeping when she got out of bed, but Emma didn't check. She tried not to be too loud while she got dressed and looked at her phone for the time. There was a message from Henry asking if she was awake because she was supposed to be taking him to breakfast, and she was already ten minutes late. He had been at Regina's, and he was more impatient when he was leaving there than if he'd been with her parents, which she could understand, though she had to admit that Regina had been doing a lot better recently. Whether that was because she had something planned or because she was just grateful to have gotten Henry back from Neverland, Emma didn't know, but she wouldn't question it.

She was about to head out the door when she realized she had forgotten to put her boots on. With a sigh, she sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling her shoes closer so she could slip them on quickly, not wanting to be keep Henry waiting any longer.

Emma was making far too much _noise_ for this early morning hour. Though in all actuality, Killian wasn't asleep. He hadn't slept much the night before either, instead choosing to lie awake and count the dots on the ceiling - because counting backward from 100 didn't work and neither did counting sheep. But his impending departure weighed heavily on his mind, and he wasn't sure how to break it to Emma.

The truth is, he was ready to go for a quick sojourn at sea. Two weeks wasn't _that_ long, but pirates weren't known for staying in one spot for more than a few days, a week at most. They had to be quick about their business on land, pillaging and acquiring treasure and what have you, because no one wanted to be arrested. Really, the only thing that was keeping him in Storybrooke was Emma.

He didn't think she would take it well, him wanting to leave. Even if he promised to bring her back something nice.

Stirring in bed, he moved closer to her when she was pulling on her boots, sweeping her hair over her shoulder to kiss her neck and give a good morning purr by her ear. "Where are you off to, darling?"

Emma had secretly been hoping he was asleep so that she could get out of there and not be any more late than she already was, but just the sound of his voice made her regret that. "I promised Henry I'd take him to breakfast, and I'm already really late." She'd only managed to get one boot on, his kiss distracting her. "So I have to go now, I'm sorry." After pulling the other boot on, she kissed him on the cheek. "I mean, you can come if you want, but I just thought you'd want to sleep." She had no idea what was coming, even though she should have. She'd been preparing herself for it since the day they arrived back from Neverland.

Killian let out a quiet sigh, his forehead resting against Emma's neck for a moment, as he attempted to get in the right frame of mind for this. But it was possible that he was underestimating her. Maybe she would understand that being on land for so long made him feel restless and shackled and that he couldn't deny the call of the sea because it was in his blood. _Maybe_.

"I...I actually need to speak to you briefly," he said, pulling back to look her in the eye. "I've got to go, Emma. I'll be back, of course I'll be back. But I just need to go...for a little while."

Now that he dropped the bomb, he could only imagine what she'd do.

As soon as Hook said he needed to talk to her, Emma understood. He didn't even have to say it; she already knew. But knowing didn't take away the feeling in her chest, like it was constricting and about to collapse in on her, and she had to look away, turning her eyes toward the door. _Henry_. She had to get to Henry. She had to get out of there. She couldn't talk about this right now, but she had no choice it seemed. Emma couldn't just not say anything.

"You're leaving...now?" There were a million other things she wanted to say, but that was all that came out. She just wanted to know when, and she tried to keep her face from betraying the way she really felt about it all because she _did_ understand why he needed to go, and it wasn't fair for her to make him feel bad about it. Now what she did later when she actually had to say goodbye would be a different story.

"Yes, I wanted to leave as soon as possible. There's a storm brewing over the water, expected tonight, and I wanted to leave before it hit," Killian explained, picking up a piece of Emma's blonde hair and wrapping it around his finger before dropping it. "I'm sorry, darling..."

He didn't know why he was apologizing. This was who he was, and he had hoped that he'd be enough for her and that she understood that this was in fact something he couldn't exactly _change_ about himself - Captain Hook and his love for the sea were a package deal, no matter how much he loved Emma. And he did. But if he said it now, he was afraid she wouldn't believe him. Or she wouldn't say it back, or he'd just screw up more than he already had.

"No, you don't need to be sorry," Emma said with a shake of her head. She was trying _very_ hard to keep it together, and the easy thing to do would be to give in and stay with him that morning. To sleep with him one last time and then say goodbye without telling him any of the other things going through her mind, but she couldn't do that. She was a Charming after all, and they didn't ever take the easy path.

"I need to get dressed first, but..." He grinned sheepishly, glancing down at the sheet which covered him.

A small and forced smile appeared on her face at what she was sure he was proposing. "And as much as I'd love to stay, I can't. I promised Henry, and he's already sent me a bunch of messages. Just..." Emma stood up, needing to be farther away from him. "Just don't leave until I get back." She was dropping her son off with Jefferson and his daughter after, and then she could say a proper goodbye, but she couldn't do that right now. "Please."

Killian studied Emma intensely, watching her face with the deep blue gaze of his, as if he could read her mind. Sometimes he felt like he could, and he knew that she was doubting him - that maybe she didn't _want_ to feel like he would never return to her, but she was going to try to prepare herself for it anyway. And he wanted to prove her wrong. He _wasn't_ going to let her down.

"I'll meet you on the docks," Hook agreed, remaining in bed and toga-wrapped in sheets; he'd clean up and get dressed (and finally put his pirate gear back on and bloody _hell_, did he miss the abundance of leather) when she left. "Just come by whenever you're ready. And..." He paused for a second, not looking away from Emma. "You'll tell Henry goodbye from me and that I'll be back to see him soon?"

"Yeah, I'll tell him," Emma said, hoping that telling Henry that would not be a lie. Without saying anything else, she turned and walked out, shutting the door a little harder than she'd planned because she'd been too focused on keeping everything inside and had to let it out somehow. She stood outside of the door for a minute longer, just staring at it and wondering if she should just tell Henry she couldn't make it, but in the end, she chose Henry.

From the minute she arrived at Regina's to pick him up, Henry could tell that something was wrong. Emma thought that she was hiding it rather well, but it was obvious to the kid. He didn't ask her until they were sitting down, and she knew she had to tell him. "Here's the thing," Emma started after drinking some coffee. "Hook's leaving. He told me to say goodbye for him." She deliberately left out the part about Hook being back soon because she didn't think it was true.

"He can't just leave. When will he back?" The look on Henry's face made her even more sad than she already was. It was like he was losing a dad all over again because, honestly, that's what he'd been for him these past couple weeks. "I, uh, I don't know, kid. I don't know if he will." Was it fair that she was saying this? No. But she was saying it anyway.

The rest of their breakfast was quiet, mostly because all Emma could think about was how she had to go say goodbye after this. When she dropped Henry off at Jefferson's house, she told him to have a good time and hoped that he wouldn't be thinking about this too much like she was sure to. Her walk to the docks was slow, and when she arrived, she realized that she hadn't actually thought at all about what she was going to say.

But there he was, waiting for her by his ship. Emma walked up to him, knowing that she was going to _have_ to say what she wanted to say. The words were burning in her throat, but she kept them down for the time being. "Henry said he'll miss you," was what she decided to start off with.

The abundance of modern clothes that Killian had acquired while in Storybrooke - by venturing out of town, rather - were left in the drawers of the room he shared with Emma, perhaps as further proof that he'd be back to wear them once more. Now he had on his usual garb - leather everything, with the intricate waistcoat and the skull and cross bones and dagger pendants around his neck, along with the hook attached to his hand as opposed to the fake-out glove he'd been wearing around town. Captain Hook was in his element once more and, true to his word, he hadn't left yet. Not before he saw Emma.

His face broke out into a look of genuine surprise, even happiness, at having her here to see him off, but inwardly, he was nervous because what if she told him never to come back? Killian didn't think he could take it if she did. Walking to her, he immediately took her in his arms like he so often did, wanting to kiss her but he held back for the time being. "Ah, I hope the lad wasn't too upset, but I will return soon," he said, wondering how much Emma even told Henry. Maybe she wanted her son to forget about Hook, too. "I'll miss him...and you. I'll miss you a great deal, love."

What she should have done was tell him that she'd miss him, too. Instead, Emma pushed him back, now letting her anger show. "Stop saying you'll come back." She was turning into that broken person she'd been when Henry found her, someone who was used to people leaving her alone and not wanting her. Someone who didn't expect anyone to care about her or want to be with her. "I've had enough false hope in my life, and I don't need it from you." Her parents had sent her away to grow up on her own, August abandoned her when she was too young to even remember him, her numerous foster families had tossed her out on the curb, Neal left her to get arrested, and the list could go on. What makes this situation any different? The last thing she wanted was to believe that he'd be back only for it never to happen, which is why her guard was up again. She wouldn't let herself get hurt.

"I was fine before you kissed me on that damn ship. I could have dealt with you leaving after we got back from Neverland if none of this had happened." She didn't like that she was doing this. The point wasn't to make him feel bad, but she was upset and couldn't just say a simple goodbye. "I knew you were going to leave because everyone always leaves." After saying that, her eyes were hurting with the strain of keeping tears back, and some managed to find their way out and onto her cheeks. A part of her felt like it was her fault. Like she asked too much of him. "So go. Just go."

All of the anger and sadness she felt was etched on her face, and she actually turned to leave without giving him a chance to respond, but she had a feeling he wasn't going to let that happen.

"_Emma_..." Killian called after her, following her in two strides and grabbing her arm before she could get further down the ramp and off the ship. "I promised you I'd come back, and I will," he insisted, knowing that he only had a small window here to make his case. But he wanted her to believe him, even though it was a slim chance - she was too much like him, too broken, too wary of trusting, and so he knew and could practically feel how difficult this was for her. "I came back for you before, with the bean. I told you, back in the Enchanted Forest, I wouldn't have left you atop that beanstalk, and I still wouldn't. I want you, Emma, I _need_ you..."

But he also needed the sea. He needed the Jolly Roger; he needed his crew that was also his family. Hook just hadn't figured out how to balance it all yet - he'd never had to before. Milah had been with him on the ship, back when they were together. But Emma wouldn't go because of her responsibilities here, and he was trying very hard to understand that.

"But this is who I am. The sea is half of me, and I hate being torn, Emma, but I am." Perhaps he sounded a little desperate too, the look in his eyes electric blue and pained. "I just need some time. You can't...don't push me away." His grip tightened, as he tried to pull her back to him for at least a kiss goodbye.

Emma was glad that Hook pulled her back because she didn't want to leave things like that. She wanted to say goodbye on a good note or at least a better one. It was hard when that pain in her chest that she'd felt when he first told her that morning that he needed to talk hadn't gone away all day, and it was only getting worse. She wanted so desperately to believe what he was saying to her.

"Yeah, but I'm not enough," she said, her free hand coming up to wipe the tears from her face. "And that's fine. I get it, I do." Emma couldn't be Milah or be like her. That life wasn't one she could have, and it made things incredibly complicated. She couldn't help but feel like while he was gone he would realize all that and choose to stay at sea rather than try to make what seemed impossible work.

Hearing that he didn't want her to push him away made Emma come closer to him. She was hesitant at first, like it was the first time she'd been that close to him or something, but she gave in to what she wanted and wrapped her arms around him, her head resting against his chest. That moment seemed to last a lifetime, her heart aching for it to never end.

But eventually, she had to pull back because she needed to kiss him one last time. Everything that she'd been feeling all day was poured into that kiss, her lips pressed hard to his as another tear decided to fall. All she could think about was how much she loved him, really loved him. She loved him because he knew how broken she was, how hard it would be to get her to trust him, and he still wanted her. Wanted her despite the stupid things she'd said today.

And as much as she loved him, she couldn't say it. Not yet. The words still wouldn't come out, even though he was leaving, and she didn't know when she would see him again. If she said it and he never came back, she'd feel even worse.

"It's not that, Emma. It's not that you're not enough..." Killian tried to explain, but he couldn't find the words. He knew that whatever it was, the problem was with _him_ and not her. "I've been this way for over three hundred years, living my life at sea and it's just the idea of being on land...it will take some getting used to, but it's not you," he assured her, smoothing her hair as she rested against his chest. He pressed kisses in the top of her blonde crown, holding her close to him, his good hand cradling the back of her head. "If anything, it's you who gives me a reason to live. Not revenge. Not Rumpelstiltskin. Not avenging Milah or trying to atone for my wounded pride. Just you, darling. Just you."

Then she kissed him and he could taste _her_, distinctly Emma, but could also taste the salt from her tears and he kissed her back with everything he had in him - like those kisses they shared that spoke of their thoughts better than words. He poured everything into it in hopes that she would understand.

Emma did understand, and she wished that understanding made it easier. Easier to say goodbye and be optimistic about when she would see him again. But that wasn't quite how she felt, unfortunately. The important thing was that she didn't hold it against him, and if he did come back, she'd be happy to have him back, and if he didn't...well, then at least they had the time that they did.

The time of his departure drew nearer, and she knew it was time to let him go. She broke their kiss, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes on her face, and whispered, "Goodbye." That was about all she could handle for one day. She had to get out of there. Staying there and watching the ship disappear into the distance wasn't an option. It was far too painful, so she just kept walking, not looking back at him once. The tears hadn't yet been allowed to flow freely because she'd been choking them back, but now that she was alone and away from the docks, she let them fall to relieve some of the tension in her body. But, she told herself, this would be the only time she'd let herself cry over him leaving because she'd fought too hard to get herself where she was to revert back to the way she'd acted when Neal left.

Killian parted from her, reluctantly, holding on until the last possible second, but eventually Emma was free from his grasp entirely. "Goodbye, darling," he spoke up after she turned to go. It sounded strangled, like he was holding back his own sorrow. Hook couldn't _cry _(he had been void of such a reaction for many years, or so he assumed - it was like making Death shed a tear, just not possible) but he still felt a very heavy lump in his throat that seemed to have been rubbed raw with sandpaper dipped in acid.

Why hadn't he told her that he loved her? The words were on his lips, they echoed in his head - _I love you, Emma, I will always love you_ - but he was silent as he watched her go. He didn't move until she had disappeared from view completely, and then he finally turned to go, too. To set sail for the great wide open sea, where he knew he'd be welcome.

When he returned, he would tell her. Because she deserved to know, and he'd go mad if he wouldn't ever get to say it.

Emma didn't dare walk through the town until her eyes had completely dried. There were too many people she had the possibility of running into, and she didn't want to have to explain to them why she looked like such a mess, _especially_ her parents. Hearing 'I told you so' was not what she needed, and she didn't want them to be angry at him for leaving because they had no right to be and neither did she. No, she'd wait until the next day when she could put on her poker face and act like it didn't bother her.

But that day came, and the next day, and the next day, and she still hadn't seen her parents or even Henry. They knew, of course, because Henry told them, but she had disappeared to Boston so she could be alone for a few days, ignoring all their calls, except for her son's. She would never leave him like that and not tell him what she was up to. And when she came back, things went back to normal because she _forced_ them to. Emma kept the room at Granny's, but she stayed at the loft most nights to be with Henry.

Talking to Snow and Charming about Hook leaving was never fun. At first they were angry that he left, even after she tried to explain that she knew it was going to happen and that it didn't bother her. Then, they tried to tell her that if he said he'd be back, he would be, but that just made Emma turn into the angry one. She hated hearing that. Henry, on the other hand, kept his optimism to himself. The only reason Emma knew it was there was because Jefferson told her that Henry and Grace went down to the docks together a lot, and she knew the only reason Henry would want to go there was to watch for the ship coming back.

As more time passed, Emma found herself numb to the pain. She had completely convinced herself that she was better off now and that was that. There was no getting through to her, so her parents stopped trying. Henry remained the only one who knew Hook would return.


	12. Chapter 12

One day, she came through the mist - the Jolly Roger, fresh from a sojourn to glittering shores and beyond; she was boasting not only a re-stocked treasure supply, others having been sold and traded, but pounds and pounds of fresh lobster and crab. Already those aboard had pigged out but the endless supply was down in the hold, along with a certain mixture of rum, water, sugar, and nutmeg, which was typical pirate's brew, all in barrels and ready to be consumed.

Go away for a few weeks, bring back lobster and booze. That seemed appropriate to Hook. He also brought Emma something else too - a few things, actually - and hoped that she would still want to see him.

The sails were dropped, the ship heading into the wind as she stopped by the docks and Hook got busy tying her off safely. When he was done with that, the ramp was lowered, and he took his first steps back in this fairytale land in...good lord, it felt like _years_.

Now to find Emma. She was probably with her parents; Killian didn't assume she'd be at their room at Granny's. It wasn't like her to sit and wait for something, namely him...right?

Emma was far too stubborn to sit around and wait, though that's what it felt like she was doing some of the time when she didn't have anything better to do. That day, she had been at the park most of the afternoon with Henry and Grace, who had struck up quite the friendship and Emma suspected that Henry had his first crush. She liked watching them play together, wishing she'd had a childhood like that. She'd never had the chance to be carefree and happy the way that they were.

Once Jefferson came to get Grace, Emma walked her son back to Snow and Charming's little loft, declining their offer to stay for dinner because she claimed she was tired. It was mostly true, though it was mostly mental exhaustion rather than physical exhaustion. If she had to sit through one more dinner pretending to be happy, she'd probably go insane. Everyone tried way too hard to avoid certain topics, and it was painfully obvious. She needed a night to herself, so she chose to stay at Granny's that night.

The door to the room stayed slightly ajar, as Emma wasn't aware she didn't shut it all the way, and she laid down in the middle of the bed, fully clothed with her boots still on and everything. Her intention hadn't been to fall asleep, but she drifted off anyway.

Emma wasn't with her parents - Killian already checked - but they were still _quite_ surprised to see him when he showed up at the loft looking for her. Charming's jaw had hit the floor, but he didn't offer any snide remarks - just a few spluttering words, probably too surprised that Hook had even come back at all. He didn't have time to stay, just to give Henry a new bit of treasure - another coin for his collection - and the promise of an alcohol-fueled seafood feast for all, if they wanted to come by the Jolly Roger for dinner soon. Killian owed them, after all. And it would be a good way to celebrate his return, provided that they all even _wanted_ to celebrate.

Henry seemed to pleased to see him; the excited shouts of "I knew you'd come back!" were actually...heartwarming.

But then he set off for Granny's since Emma was there and got a beady-eyed glare from the owner herself when the leather-wearing pirate swept in through the door. Hook ignored her, choosing to climb the stairs and let himself into his and Emma's old room, seeing her passed out on the bed.

Not that he _wanted_ to wake her, but he was just so glad she was alright. And still here. He'd deal with any potential rejection later. Settling on the bed beside her, he swept her hair over her shoulder and pressed his lips to the back of her neck. The hook he had taken off since if she jolted awake and flailed, he didn't want to accidentally stab her.

"Wake up, darling. Emma..." Killian murmured by her ear, wanting so very badly to take her into his arms and kiss her until he couldn't breathe.

Being woken up from a nap usually resulted in confusion, which is what happened when Emma heard Hook's voice and started to wake up. She forgot where she was because she was usually at her parents' place, so that threw her, and then the fact that someone was sitting beside her on the bed with their face close to hers...

"Holy shit," Emma said, her hand going straight to her chest as he had almost given her a heart attack. "You scared me!" She elbowed him in the shoulder, still trying to fully wake herself up. It took a second to register in her brain that he was actually there. After however many weeks, he was finally back. This wasn't some dream that she would wake up from and be disappointed again.

But it _did_ eventually register, and she looked at him with a happy kind of surprise instead of the scared surprise from when he first woke her up. "You're back?" she said like she was afraid he wasn't and this really was a dream. "You're really back." A smile spread across her face and she practically tackled him with a hug, wrapping her arms around him and burying her face in his neck.

She'd thought about what she would do if he came back, whether she would act like it was no big deal or if she would act completely stupid like she was now. But she couldn't control her reaction. She was genuinely happy to see him and have him back in her life, and she wouldn't punish him for leaving by pretending that she wasn't.

_Ooompf!_ That was the exaggerated sound of hardship Killian made when Emma flung herself at him and latched on. But he caught her eagerly in his waiting embrace and held her close, murmuring by her ear - so silken it was almost a contented purr, "I told you I'd come back. I missed you, darling. I missed you quite a bit. The pirating adventure was good but not as good as being with you."

Not even all the treasure in the world could convince him otherwise! Though Killian had a _lot_ of treasure anyway. Some acquired by good old fashioned selling and trading after sailing into port, other baubles and trinkets...not so much. But alas! He was here now, that was what mattered.

"Are you going to give me a kiss hello? And then I might have some sort of gift for you..."

"I missed you, too. So much." Emma missed him much more than she thought was possible. Her heart hadn't ached like that in a very long time, and she was so glad to have him back. She couldn't even convey in words how glad she was, so she'd just have to show him in other ways. Like that kiss he wanted. "I don't really want to kiss you after you scared me half to death _and_ woke me up, but I guess since you're so adorable, I'll do it anyway."

Emma smiled her first genuine smile since he left, leaning in to close the space and kiss him. And boy what a kiss it was. She finally felt whole again, her lips moving with his, tongue seeking entrance to deepen it. Her hands rested on the sides of his neck, and she pressed her body impossibly closer to his. If he didn't already know how much she cared about him, he would after that. It was as if she was afraid to let go of him because he might disappear.

_Adorable_?! They were going to start that again? Killian couldn't even pretend to be offended though. He just huffed a laugh before sinking into that kiss with Emma, no resistance given to when she wanted to deepen the affectionate expression. He was in her mouth too, tasting her, remembering everything about the way she felt and the way he felt when he was _with_ her. It all came back in a rush of color and sound, like he could ever even forget such important moments in his life anyway!

Emma almost felt like she was going to cry from how perfect it felt to be able to do this again, which was very unlike her, but he seemed to evoke all kinds of feelings in her that she'd never let show with anyone else before. Another reason that he was so perfect for her. All those walls she built up he tore down within minutes of them being together on his ship that night.

"Quite passionate, Swan," he grinned in his devilish sort of way, sounding a bit breathless. Not the first time he had said it, and it wouldn't be the last.

"Where you're concerned, yes." The kiss ended way too soon, in her opinion. She would be perfectly content to stay in bed with him for the rest of the night and make up for lost time. She was sure he could use it after being around a bunch of men for nearly a month, and she could use it as well, just because she had thought about it way too much for her own good while he was gone.

"Now, close your eyes and hold out your hand so I can put something in there. Something clean and entirely not naughty this time." _This_ time.

When he told her to close her eyes and hold her hand out, she was intrigued to say the least. "Ha, this time. Not sure if I believe you but alright." Emma did what he wanted and closed her eyes, holding her hand out for him and waiting.

Reaching into his pocket, Killian took out the small drawstring bag which he opened and then a silver ring appeared in the palm of his hand. It didn't remain there for long because he slid it onto Emma's finger - the third of her right hand, for now - and as he suspected, it was a perfect fit. Engraved on the ring was medieval French, an elegant scroll of words that translated to _here is my heart, guard it well_.

"I had one of my pendants turned into a ring," he explained and sure enough, he was lacking his usual neck garb. The skull and crossbones were still there but the dagger and its chain were missing. "Now you know that, if I ever sail away again, I will always come back, and you'll always have something of mine with you."

He hoped she liked it. If not, he could simply ravish her here and now (though he had plans to do that anyway!), and she wouldn't have to mention his would-be romantic gift ever again.

Emma opened her eyes once the ring was on her finger, and the first thought that went through her mind was _oh my god_. "It's...beautiful." She was certainly stunned, holding her hand up to look at it more closely. That hadn't been at all what she was expecting. "I love it." Emma looked up at him, making sure he was looking at her, too. "And you." There. She said it. That wasn't exactly how she'd planned to tell him she loved him, but it just felt right. If he didn't say it back, didn't feel the same way, that was fine, but she couldn't hold it in anymore.

Emma's heart was pounding so hard in her chest she was sure the entire town could hear it. Telling someone you loved them was always a bit nerve wracking, especially when it just came out, completely unplanned.

He couldn't keep the grin off his face, not just one of those smarmy smiles meant to be charming (and to win over the ladies) but something real that made Killian's eyes crinkle at the corners. "There's nothing I love more than you," he said, before he gave her another kiss. "I love you more than all the stars in the sky..." With Emma locked in his arms, he tackled her - or more like moved her on her back with him atop her - in a playful move, as he gave her kisses on her mouth, chin, and on her neck in between his deep expressions of devotion. "...more than leather! More than...rum. Maybe not more than rum," he teased, with a growl.

Well, that couldn't have gone any better. Emma was all smiles as she fell back on the bed, giggling at what he was saying. See _this_ is the side of him she wished more people knew. They wouldn't be so quick to judge her relationship choices if they did.

"If you love me more than leather, I think you should take all that off then," she said, motioning to his clothes. "And don't think I didn't notice that face you made when I said you were adorable." She pressed her lips to his for another quick kiss. "You're stuck with me, so you're stuck with being adorable, too." It was weird to finally feel like she had something good going for her, something good with him. She'd been so against the way she felt about him for so long that it was a relief to not have to hide it anymore.

"That's because I'm still not adorable!" Killian would protest that, however, he would _not_ protest the suggestion that he get rid of all the leather. The jacket and the layers underneath that - the belt and the trousers and the boots, all of it he got busy with removing which would leave him in the very _last_ layer and actually, he had taken a liking to modern boxer briefs and sported them all the time now. They were certainly better than any sort of cod piece from the 1700s, he had to admit that.

Then he was back in bed with Emma, with her vastly overdressed - such a disparity. They ought to rectify that. "Now you should make it even," he pointed out, with a poke upward of his brows. "Unless you'd like for me to let you get back to sleep. I didn't mean to interrupt your snoozing time, darling."

Emma liked the sight of him in those boxer briefs and in any modern clothing in general. Her visions of what a pirate looked like before she met him were no where near the reality. He was handsome, sexy, a gentleman, everything that she wouldn't have expected.

"Yeah, I'll go back to sleep with you in this bed looking like that." Emma rolled her eyes, throwing her boots onto the floor first since those shouldn't have even been on in the first place. Had she really been that out of it? Hard to remember now that Hook was here. Her shirt came next, then her pants, leaving her in her bra and panties, which made them more or less even. "How's that? Better?"

His eyes roved up and down the sight of Emma in only her bra and underwear, and she cut an impressive figure - curvy where he liked and absolutely _perfect_. "Better, slightly," Hook rumbled dangerously, suggesting that he wouldn't let her stay 'clothed' for much longer. "Good _lord_, darling, I missed you..."

Seeing her mostly naked had confirmed that. Killian was aware before, but now? It hit him over the head like a sledgehammer.

She'd been about to move closer to him, but the ring on her finger kept catching her eye, and she couldn't speak French, let alone medieval French, so she had to ask. "What does it say?"

He took her hand, kissing her knuckles and then the belly of her wrist, because that was a spot that was so uniquely _her_ - with just her scent and it was Emma and nothing else, no perfume or shampoo, just her. "Here is my heart, guard it well," he translated. "You will, won't you?" And wouldn't rip it from his chest like so many others before!

"I missed you, too. You have no idea." Emma liked the way he looked at her. It always made her feel good about herself, just the fact that he wanted her. Just the fact that _anyone_ wanted her but especially him. He'd come back for her more than once, and she was starting to realize that she needed to stop doubting how much he cared for her.

She watched as he took her hand, surprised by how sensual a kiss to the wrist could be. Hearing the translation made the ring all the more special, and she just stared at it before she was able to answer him. It meant a lot to get something so personal, and she was still trying to process everything. First he was there unexpectedly, then he told her he loved her, and now she had a beautiful ring that personified him giving himself to her.

Emma moved her hand down his chest, letting it rest over his heart. "I will. Always," she promised. It was scary to think how fragile a heart was in Storybrooke with people like Regina running about. It was even worse to know that her heart couldn't be taken, but Hook's could. Emma would die before she'd let that happen, though. But figuratively speaking, she would take care of his heart and had no intentions of breaking it.

"Good," he murmured, eyes dropping to watch her mouth. He wanted another kiss so he took it, believing that now was as good of a time as any to make up for all the lost moments with her that he had missed out on during the sojourn at sea...with a crew of men. When they had sailed into port, of course those men found company with women, but Killian refrained because of Emma. _That_ was a first.

His lips traveled down her neck and over her collarbone, lingering on the notch there that was one of his favorite parts of her. "And I will always come back to you," he promised, continuing to rain kisses all on her - down the center of her chest and beneath the fabric of her bra to her naval.

"You better," she teased, feeling goosebumps on her skin after every place that he kissed.

It was hard to hide how much she wanted him at that point, when his mouth was so far down her body. It really had been way too long. She'd missed his lips and his fingers on her, the way their bodies fit perfectly together, and waking up the next morning with him still there. "Take them off," Emma told him, referring to her underwear, which were practically begging themselves to be taken off.

Killian didn't have to be told twice. He tugged at the panties part of the set, pulling them down Emma's legs and baring her to the dim light of their room. Her bra was unfastened, the straps pulled down too, and to have her naked and ready for him was what he was craving _badly._ He had missed being with her more than he thought he would, like she was some kind of drug for him that he couldn't exactly live without. For a moment he just admired her before his hand slid up her body with a bold confidence that he always exuded, partly exploring her too, as that was something he'd never tire of.

"Now that I've got you without any clothes on, Swan, what on _earth_ do you want me to do with you?" Hook smirked, fingertips playfully drumming back down the front of her, tap-tap-taping in a rhythm that only he knew.

Emma was glad to be rid of the rest of her clothing, and she watched as his hand moved up her body, her eyes coming up after to look at him when he asked his question. A smirk graced her lips as well as she thought about it. How was she supposed to give just one answer to that? She'd had some very vivid dreams about him while he was gone, which surprised the hell out of her, and she wasn't sure whether she'd ever want to share those, but they reinforced the fact that she'd missed their physical connection. "There are _many_ things I'd like you to do with me." She made sure to emphasize the word _many_. "And to me," she added as she cocked her head to the side, one of her hands covering his for a moment before she moved them both down her body and to the place she wanted him to be touching.

"_Many_ things?" Killian repeated, as if he was surprised to hear it. Not really (since his imagination tended to run wild with vivid pictures, too) but he would enjoy getting inside of her head _just_ a bit here. "Like what?" the pirate wanted to know, letting Emma take his hand and navigate southward. His fingertips lightly caressed her inner thighs, to give her more of a chill, but then he gave in and dipped in between soft folds and all along the outside, stroking and teasing.

The wetness his fingers collected was more and more evident, seeping on his skin, and all color seemed to drain from his eyes, leaving only dark blown out pupils behind. "Tell me. I rather like communication." Yes, it was such a good thing to have in a relationship!

Emma laughed, but that quickly turned into her biting her lip at the feel of his fingers between her legs. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Of course, she knew he _would_ like to know, but it was too fun to mess with him. And she was still trying to decide what to reveal and what to keep to herself. What he was doing right then was definitely a good start, though.

"What I will tell you is that you should keep doing what you're doing and maybe I'll reward you after." Emma raised her eyebrows briefly, smirking before she broke eye contact and let her head fall back on the pillows. Oh, she would make sure he felt as much pleasure as she was about to alright.

Hook acted as if he looked unamused, but really, he didn't have a problem with continuing down this course. "I _would_ because how else would you get me to do these things to you, stubborn lass?" he wanted to know, very logically, as the tips of his index and middle fingers slid along on either side of her clit, then further down to slip inside of her - not that he remained there, however; he just repeated the path as he gauged her reaction to what she wanted more.

"Feel free to be as dirty as possible," he encouraged, and naturally Killian Jones _would_ encourage something like that. Especially when she looked so lovely there, lying back and writhing under the touch of his hand. "Though I quite like the sound of being rewarded for my efforts."

Emma continued biting her lip as his fingers grazed the sides of her most sensitive area, sucking in a breath as they slipped inside of her. And then he did it again. And again. And Emma had been trying to think, to come up with something that would get him to shut up, but her mind was too clouded with how good what he was doing felt, even if he was teasing her by not giving her the satisfaction of sticking to one spot.

"You would enjoy that, I'm sure," she said, sitting up enough that she could pull his face closer and kiss him hard. _That_ would shut him up, and she got something out of it, too. Win-win. Emma's lips traveled along his jaw next until they met his ear, where her breath was hot against the skin. Her teeth pulled at his ear lobe gently for a moment before she placed her lips on the pulse point on his neck.

"You could always pull out that vibrating cock, too," Killian pointed out. "Did that keep you company while I was gone?" If so, he'd be very interested in hearing about it. He wasn't sure why, but the idea of Emma taking care of business on her own was enticing - or rather, the idea of _watching_. He had liked watching and then being an active participant.

But then she kissed him, and it attained the goal of stopping his words. It was returned hungrily, with need, almost sloppy as he flipped his palm up and slid his fingers inside of her, crooking those fingers in a come hither motion. He started off slowly, attempting to tap her naval from the inside while he pulled a hiss through his teeth as she latched on to the rapid thrumming of his pulse.

Emma had used that thing a time or two, and if he wanted to hear about it, she'd be happy to tell him. But first she moaned rather loud at the feeling of him finally giving in and moving his fingers inside her, resting her head against the side of his for a moment until she could speak again. "Since you asked," she started, a bit breathless as she talked into his ear. "It did keep me company." Another moan escaped, followed by her continuing what she was saying. "I'd dream about you." Pause for breathing. "And when I'd wake up, you weren't there." If they weren't specifically talking about sexual things, it could sound a bit sad. Though that happened as well. She'd just dream about nothing in particular only to wake up expecting him to be there, and she'd realize she was alone.

Killian shifted slightly, easing Emma on her back so he could kneel in between her legs and push his middle finger in deeper, as deep as he could go inside of her, and he let his thumb rub in circles over her clit - sort of switching back and forth between the two briefly, though she seemed to like when he focused on being inside of her. And the sounds she was making seemed to suggest that, too.

"What did you dream about?" he asked, speeding up the tempo of his fingers, the exploratory stroking he did with them to hit his favorite earth-shaking spot. "I bet that toy of yours wasn't as satisfying as _me_." Cocky, yes, (pun intended) but he felt he was in a position to be that way for the moment.

"Oh, god," Emma groaned after laying back like he wanted and feeling his finger go deeper. The combination of that along with his thumb on her clit was making it very hard for her to answer his question. "I can't...I can't tell you. But I'll show you if you shut up and keep...doing...that." She kept needing to breathe and make whatever sounds were coming out in between her words.

Getting Emma on her back in a situation like this was _highly_ preferable to sword fighting, when he'd done it before. For one, she wasn't wearing clothes. And additionally, she looked ever-so-attractive when she was caught in a net of ecstasy. Hook didn't know how he held back from ravishing her completely; perhaps it was that he enjoyed lavishing her with attention...and they had all night. "You'll show me, will you? I think I'll hold you to that, Swan..." It was a dark promise that he'd see through.

And then he hit that spot that he always managed to find that drove her crazy, and she found herself grabbing the sheets with one hand, the other covering her eyes. The orgasm hit her out of no where this time, and she couldn't keep her hips from moving. She bit her lip, but it couldn't stop the moan that came from deep in her throat. "Fuck you. Why do you have to talk so much?" she said with a laugh after she calmed down somewhat.

The hungry look in his eye - a passionate sort of stare, even though it was black as a raven's wing - didn't stave off at all, especially when he felt those wild flutterings around his fingers, muscles clenching them in a grip that was ramrod tight. He was all too willing to see her through _that_ too. His slick fingers he lifted to his mouth, putting them in there to suck off the remnants of her essence and delight in the taste. "You want to fuck me, is that what it is?"

Emma couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, sitting up so her face was close to his. "I do want to fuck you," she said matter-of-factly, staring into those eyes of his that told her how much he was enjoying this. "But for now, I'm going to do it with my mouth if that's okay with you?" She'd be shocked if it _wasn't_ okay with him. What guy wouldn't that be okay with? Plus, he wanted to know what she dreamt about, and this was a good place to start with showing him. She pushed Hook down so he was the one laying on his back now, a smirk on her face. She could have easily just went down on him without waiting for an answer, but she wanted to hear him say he wanted it.

Well, Hook was glad to know they were on the same page since Emma charmed him with a very brazen _fuck you_, and what else was was he supposed to assume? Granted, he wouldn't have thought she'd take control and shove him on his back but he was really glad that she did. Really, _really_ glad.

He hit the sheets, falling into them, a low rumble of a growl escaping him. "Oh, you are, are you?" That was his version of not putting up any resistance at all. "I'm yours, Swan, do with me what you will." He laid out on the bed for her with an arch of his spine. "I also want to fuck you, so the feeling is mutual..." But that went without saying. However, it was always nice to hear.

Hook always seemed to be so focused on her and making her feel good, and she enjoyed returning the favor, especially because he didn't expect her to, and that made it even more enjoyable for her. "We'll get there eventually," she said as she positioned herself beside him in a way that made it easy for her to still make eye contact when she wanted to.

Without much warning, Emma took him in her mouth but only a little, just sticking to sucking and swirling her tongue around the tip. Her hand took care of the rest until she decided to let her tongue explore a little more. Starting from the bottom, she let it drag slowly all the way back to the tip, her eyes flicking up to meet his halfway through the action.

A shudder ripped through him and a moan that was just as embarrassing as the way his hips jerked - and Killian was _meaning_ to ask where in the hell Emma learned to do all of this but that question flew out the window and all he could say, in a raspy tone, was, "I missed your mouth." The fact that she was watching him was even more of a turn-on for one reason or another, like she _knew_ she was driving him mad and just wanted to see it on his face.

Surely the vibrating cock had nothing on the real thing! Especially the organ belonging to Captain Hook. His hand was clenched in the sheets, but then it went to Emma's hair, the back of her head, and gripped there instead. Focusing on the tip of him - so sensitive and the spot which provoked most of the tingling reactions - was a perfectly fine way to get him to explode; he'd already lost track of everything else he had done today besides her.

It was quite enjoyable to watch his reactions to what she could do with her mouth, but she had to break eye contact so she could focus more on what she was doing. Keeping her tongue pressed firmly against him, she moved her mouth down and up, stopping every so often to focus on just the tip again because of the way his body twitched every time she did.

One hand was still wrapped around him to make up for what her mouth couldn't reach, and she moved her other hand slowly from his knee, up his thigh, and then cupped his balls gently. The pad of her thumb made random patterns and shapes, anything to keep more than one part of him stimulated. Gradually, she increased the speed with which she was moving her mouth over him, wanting him to find that release she hadn't been able to give him for so long.

The second Emma touched the Captain's jewels, sacred treasure, he nearly lost it. That particular region was also sensitive, very much so, and it seemed as if it was an area neglected by most women during times like these - but not Ms. Swan, apparently. And thank everything for _that_. He let out a groan, a hiss, the way his muscles tensed suggested he was about to come undone. Killian even flung his arm over his face as if to muffle the sound he made because he was about to fall apart.

And then he did. A twitch of muscle, the involuntarily reactions by and in Emma's mouth he couldn't exactly help either, nor the way he squinted his eyes into slits, seeing everything blurred, as he came with little warning. He just assumed she could read his body language by now. Hopefully it wasn't too messy or surprising for her!

"Fuck, _fuck_, Emma Swan," he gasped, hand dragging over his face.

She certainly was very good at reading his body language, and she knew what she was doing and how long it would take to push him over that edge. Emma didn't stop her movements, _any_ of them, until she'd licked up everything she could, and only then did she move her hands away from him and rest them on the bed as she drug her mouth up his stomach and chest, kissing a line to his neck, around his adam's apple, and finally to his lips. She gave him a light kiss, her lips only grazing his, even though she knew he wanted more, and she did, too. "I take it you enjoyed that?" she asked with a smirk, the repeated use of that word that always got to her when he said it was a good indication of his level of enjoyment.

Her hips were now pressing down against his as she got on top of him. "Those were some noises you were making." Emma acted like she was going to kiss him again but moved her lips away at the last second to the corner of his mouth, continuing down his jaw line like she had earlier, wanting to get him worked up again. "_Really _turned me on," she made sure to whisper in that voice once her mouth made its way to his ear. Not that she hadn't already been turned on, but hearing him had only taken it to another level.

Briefly, Killian could taste himself on Emma's lips; it sped his heart rate, and he angled toward her for a deeper kiss but she had moved away. Teasing him, with the taste of her and with her body, which was poured over him - all that creamy white skin, like spilled milk. It wouldn't take him _that_ long to get worked up again for another round.

"How much?" he asked, gently tracing his fingers over the outer edge of her breasts, eager to add to how much she was turned on. "Would you say..._just_ wet, or sopping wet?" Of course he could check, but...oh, he'd do that in a moment.

Instead of answering his question with words, Emma just slid her body down slightly so that she could feel how hard he was getting already, and _he_ could feel just how wet he made her without even doing anything to her. "Does that answer your question?" she asked as she looked down at him, her hair all falling to one side of her face now.

Her whole body was craving more of him, as it had been deprived, and she couldn't keep from kissing him hard, her lips crashing against his. He was just too sexy for his own good, and the worst part was that he knew that. "Fuck me," she breathed against his lips, no longer interested in teasing. She _wanted_ him.

"Tease," Killian growled, though there was no real threat behind it - he was just ready for her, aching like it had been too long, and the kiss Emma gave him was all the incentive he needed. The demand for him to fuck her certainly didn't hurt either. "Whatever you want, my lady," was his ever-so-gallant response, but the way he grabbed her hips and rolled them over, practically throwing her on her back and yanking one leg up around his hip at a raised angle, was sort of miles away from _gentlemanly_.

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**A/N: Sex scene was _way_ too long, so you'll get the rest of it in the next chapter! Don't hate me too much. Thanks for all the reviews/follows/favorites, my loves! **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Here's the rest of their reunion sex (;**

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He was inside of her in a blink, above her, balancing on his knees and thrusting into her _hard_. It was deep, as far deep as he could go without her rocking up to impale herself on his erection - which of course he encouraged, too. Also face-to-face, nose-to-nose, he nipped at Emma's lower lip with his teeth, but then his mouth covered hers to take the kiss he really wanted again. "I love you," slipped out too, as natural as it felt to be with her.

When he rolled them both over so that she was on her back, Emma was all smiles...and maybe a hint of a smirk. She didn't need or want him to be a gentleman right now, and she cried out when he thrust into her.

Emma couldn't keep her hips from coming up to try and meet his; they had a mind of their own at times like these, when her head was spinning and her body was overflowing with pleasure. His kiss elicited a moan from her, and she rested one of her hands on the side of his neck to keep him close because she liked having easy access to his lips.

It was almost too much to hear him say he loved her because it pulled at her heart and made her feel like she might cry. It had been a long time since someone had said it to her and meant it, and she could feel how much he truly meant it. "I love you, too," she said against his lips, arching her back more to keep matching his thrusts.

For Killian, it had been even longer since someone said that to _him_. The whole thing was fascinating to him, almost like a dream, but what he had wanted and what he had needed for so long. His fingertips traced her hairline and followed the frame of Emma's face like he was making a painting of her in his mind. Maybe he was, something to get him through the next trip away.

"I can't imagine why," he made a low growl type of noise, bending his head enough to bite softly against her bare collarbone. The defining lines of bone and tendon and small muscles there always fascinated him about women. How they could appear so delicate and yet strong. The roundness of her shoulder he tasted as well, encouraged by her movements and the way they worked so well with his - which he quickened, the room feeling more and more steamy to him.

To hear Hook say he couldn't imagine why she loved him made her want to tell him all the things about him that she did love. This wasn't exactly the time to do that, however, so she'd just have to do it afterward.

Emma turned her head as he bit her collarbone and shoulder, her breathing coming out in gasps every time he thrust into her. She pulled his lips back to hers, needing to feel that closeness, especially at that moment when she finally had him back and she didn't have to think about him leaving for a while. She tilted her hips a different way so that he'd hit a new spot, having to break their kiss to mutter an _oh fuck_.

Killian fused his lips to hers, tongue pushing past to be in her in this way, too - it was a long, lingering kiss that left him drinking in the heady air like a fine wine, desperate for oxygen. Everything about Emma sang to his blood, going deep to his bones as he breathed in her smell, drank in her taste.

It continued, his vent of pent up frustrations from being away from her for so long, his touch not remaining idle either. No, his fingertips revisited other parts of her, finding a pert nipple to tweak and lower, between one of the erratic pauses his hips made, to touch her most intimate places. He liked the sounds she made, and he sought to have her emit even more than the ones they already only shared between the sheets. The pirate captain could go a very long time, drawing her to the brink and back while maintaining his own stamina to always meet her next round of needs instead of simply fucking her in only two minutes and falling asleep.

Though when he finally _did_ give into exhaustion, it would be satisfying.

Emma opened her mouth more to allow his tongue access, her own mingling with it and deepening the kiss. It was like they were both desperate to be closer to one another, even though they were already as close as they could possibly get. She didn't even think about breathing, just about how much she loved the feel of his lips on hers and the way they seemed to always be moving in a perfect rhythm.

The addition of his fingers on her body gave her more to respond to, and there were a few times that she thought she was going to come only to be brought back down slightly from the high. He was quite good at that, and she left it all in his control. She _wanted_ him to be the one in control. There wasn't much she could do with her hands, so she kept one where it was on the side of his neck and the other gripping his upper arm, feeling the muscle move every time he did.

"God, I missed you so much," she managed to spill out, her back arching again as she let out another moan, the leg he'd originally positioned over his hip tightening its grip on his body to bring him closer.

Too much, it was too much to hold on anymore, and at last he gave in to rapidly crumbling defenses and his hips snapped in one final, firm thrust that buried his essence deep within Emma. He couldn't have pulled out if he'd wanted to with her clinging so tightly, and really, he was not concerned about potential offspring. Though that was a conversation they should have had at some point. Perhaps. His deep sounds leveled into heavy breaths as he trembled above her, spent and very, very satisfied. He was content. It was all right in his world again. Killian was here now, and he wouldn't leave for awhile.

Emma was usually not so careless as to sleep with someone so many times unprotected, but she had honestly not given it the slightest thought with him. That conversation should have already happened, considering how deep into their relationship they were getting, but she had no idea how to even approach the subject with him and so would let it go for now.

She'd been very close for a while, just needing that final movement that would send her into a frenzy of shaking and muscle contractions, and when she felt him spilling inside her, that was all she needed to let go. It took her a minute to remove her leg from around him, as her muscles weren't working to their normal standards yet, but she managed it. Finally, she had that feeling of being content as well, of being perfectly happy.

"Emma..." he murmured and lowered his mouth to hers for a soft kiss, not wanting to separate their bodies yet. "I missed you, too. I missed you terribly. I wish..." Well, he didn't know. That he didn't have to be so torn like this? That she would come with him?

The kiss and his words brought her back to reality, and she looked at him with the question she was about to ask in her eyes. "You wish what?" she asked quietly, her hand moving softly along the side of his face, feeling the ever-present stubble under the soft skin of her fingertips.

Unfortunately, Killian had to move. He separated their bodies with a slow easing motion and laid on his side against Emma, pulling her close. "I wish...I wouldn't have to leave again." But Hook _would_ have to because he knew how mad he'd go if he didn't, and it made him sigh quietly as he reached up and pulled damp golden hair from her face, letting his fingertips caress the perfect shape of her features down to her chin, flitting across her neck and chest. He always loved to look at Emma, but especially after they shared a moment like what had just happened.

"Or that we could sail off together...but I know we can't." But no matter what, his future included Emma and being with her. He'd have married her if either of them were the marrying kind.

Emma looked at him, _really_ looked at him as he spoke. She knew he would have to leave again, too, and she wished that she could go with him. The pain she felt when he left was something she didn't want to have to deal with again, but she knew as long as they were together, she would be feeling it. "It hurt a lot when you left," she admitted, "but it would hurt more to not be with you at all." That's all she wanted was to be with him, in whatever way she could. Would she marry him? If he wanted to marry her, she didn't know if she could say no, honestly. She'd do anything for him at this point.

"I just...what if you..." Emma sighed, not wanting to talk about if something happened to him while he was gone, but that was something weighing heavy on her mind while he was away. She buried her face in her pillow, feeling like she might cry again. The whole evening had been so overwhelming. Hook coming back, giving her that ring, telling her he loved her, and then, of course, the amazing sex.

Admittedly, Killian had thought about that particular scenario, too. It was _unpleasant_ to think of, but it was a very real concern. And not just him - something could happen to Emma, too. It's not like either of them lived safe, easy lives. "I know, darling, but that's a risk we'll have no matter what we do," he pointed out, pressing kisses to her shoulder, nuzzling to get her to bring her face out from where it was smushed in her pillow. "A piano could fall on my head tomorrow, even here. Of course, I'd survive...I always do," he smirked, but it didn't last long. "Though it's just an unfortunate risk. I'd rather deal with the risks than be without you."

He stroked in between her shoulderblades, down her spine, a gentle and feathery touch. "Are you tired, Emma? I can let you sleep." Killian would be here to have these discussions for awhile. The pirate wasn't going anywhere.

It was true, something could happen to either of them at any time no matter where they were, but if something happened to him while he was off wherever he went to, she wouldn't even know. He'd just never come back, and she'd have to live with not knowing. It wasn't a pleasant thought at all.

Emma turned her face back so that she could see him, shaking her head when he asked if she was tired. She had taken that nap after leaving Snow's loft, and though her body was exhausted, she didn't want to sleep. "I just got you back." When she said things like that, she really realized how different she was with him. Emma never said things like that or let herself be so openly vulnerable. "I mean, you came back to me. I shouldn't have said those things to you before you left. I'm sorry." And she was. She'd been so angry and scared when he left that she said things she didn't mean.

"I know why you said them. I know I haven't got the best reputation," Killian replied, pulling the blankets up over them and moving closer to Emma, closer than before, to be wrapped up in a makeshift cocoon with her. "Your mum and dad didn't think I'd come back either. So you don't need to apologize for it." Henry had apparently been the only one who believed in Hook's return, and the pirate wasn't sure what to make of that. Mostly, he was glad. Glad that the young lad liked him as much as he did and wanted to build a relationship with him, despite Hook's penchant for going off to sea.

Emma should have known better than to doubt Henry as he always seemed to be right about this kind of stuff, somehow. That kid was too smart to be hers. It also made her happy that Henry liked Hook and didn't seem to care anymore that Emma wasn't with his father. At one point, she knew that's what he'd been hoping for, but he had finally accepted that it just wasn't going to happen, even if Neal still had been around.

Kissing Emma's forehead, he held her close just to bask in the warmth of her, her body, her solid presence. That was something he had missed all too much as well. "I don't like not knowing," he confessed. "Not knowing if you're alright while I'm gone." It was dangerous, going off with no word, but it wasn't like he could bring a cell phone with him. Magic was perhaps a solution, but that would require the assistance of a certain Queen to teach Emma.

She curled her body against his, holding onto him like she was afraid if she didn't that he'd leave again. "At least you know where I am." She had no idea where he was, where he was going, what he was doing. There was, of course, a way that she could find out should she ever want to, but that would require Gold's help, and he still had not returned from Neverland.

"I'm sorry, I wish there was another way." Now it was his turn to apologize, and Killian disliked not having a solution. He _always_ liked to have a solution, a goal, something to work for. But he'd channel all of that into figuring out a way back to Emma no matter the circumstance, whenever he left, and if something happened to him, he'd have figured out a way for her to know. That's what she deserved.

"I tried so hard not to love you. After we climbed up that beanstalk, I knew I had to leave you there." Emma hadn't ever told him this before, but it seemed like she should now. "Because you could...see right through me. I'd never met anyone that I couldn't just pretend I was okay in front of without them believing it." Yes, he'd been flirty, cocky, and a pain in the ass, but she'd felt it even then that she would fall for him if she didn't leave him behind. "I needed to focus on getting back to Henry, and I thought it'd be easier without you." And she really couldn't blame him for everything he did after that. He just wanted to get to Storybrooke, and she'd closed that door for him, so he went back to Cora. "But now I know that nothing's easier without you."

Oh, and now this seemed to be a day for confessions! Of course Hook understood why Emma did what she did on that beanstalk, but it was good to hear her say it anyway. "I put up my fair share of resistance, too," he grinned slightly. "There's a lot...I hold back." There was a lot he hid behind that veneer, that overly raunchy persona. Like how lonely he was, how much he had longed for someone to care for. That wasn't something he tried to portray when he had a reputation as pirate to protect.

"And I never want to be without you either, Emma. I know that we'll make this work, whatever it is."

Somehow just hearing him say that they could make it work made Emma feel a lot better. If he believed it, then she certainly should, too. If only it were that easy. They both seemed to hold a lot back, but that was starting to change. "Whatever it is?" she teased him, acting like there should be a word for it, but no label really seemed to fit. Was he her boyfriend? Lover? All of the above? It didn't matter what they called it, all that mattered was that they were together, though she couldn't even _imagine_ what her parents were calling it.

Killian's cheek rested in Emma's hair, his muscles turning to liquid the longer he laid there all wrapped up with her (and my, she was exquisitely cuddly today!), but he still held her close and tried to get his brain to work enough to come up with a suitable name for their relationship. But he really couldn't - they were just together, that was all he knew. Maybe perhaps, one day, they'd make it more official but he'd let Charming get used to the idea first before springing something like _that_ on him.

She'd taken to nuzzling his neck lightly with her nose, her fingers pressing into his back as she pushed herself closer to him. That's when she remembered him saying he couldn't imagine why she loved him, and she didn't know if he'd been serious or if it was just something he said. "Hey," Emma said quietly after there had been a bit of silence. She pulled her head back to look at him, just letting her eyes settle on his for several moments before speaking again. "Do you know how perfect you are?" The way she said it and the look on her face would show him how much she meant it. Emma wanted him to know she thought he was special and didn't care about anything that happened before he came back for her with that bean.

"Hmmm?" He looked at Emma, his eyes a shade of forget-me-not blue. "Perfect...you're delusional," Hook teased her, but he squeezed her gently in gratitude before going in for a kiss, his lips curving around hers. "I'm perfect for you and you're perfect for me, that's all I care about."

Emma smiled into their kiss, wanting nothing more than for it to never end. "And that's all I care about, too." She punctuated that sentence with another kiss, her tongue moving along his bottom lip before her teeth replaced it, nipping gently. Something about kissing him just drove her crazy, in a very, very good way. Didn't help that he _knew_ that. He was certainly her weakness, but she also found strength in his presence, and that's how she knew he was perfect for her.

"You know what we're doing tomorrow?" It was more of a statement than a question. "I'm teaching you how to drive." They'd never gotten around to it during his first stint in Storybrooke, but they'd get to it now. She was really looking forward to how amusing it would be for her to watch, but she didn't think he'd have too much trouble getting the hang of it.

"You want me to learn to operate that...automobile?" Killian nearly froze with terror at the idea, but he was so close to Emma that he'd just let any worries melt right out of him along with the rest of the ache in his bones as he returned the next kiss, also adding a scrape of teeth which he soothed with his tongue. "You've only got one, darling, what if I crash it?"

He felt it was a legitimate question to ask. _Maybe_ it'd be a good idea if he learned, because automobiles were modern and Storybrooke was supposed to be modern, but it seemed so...imposing. Much more so than sailing a gigantic pirate ship called the Jolly Roger in hurricane-force winds. Funny, that.

Emma laughed, shaking her head. "It's a car. Say _car_." She liked how close their faces were, and she placed soft kisses along his jaw. She had grown to love the feeling of his facial hair on her skin. "You're not going to crash it. I won't let you. And you need to learn how to do it eventually." Storybrooke was a better place than most to learn in since there was never a lot of traffic anywhere.

She brought her leg up to rest her knee on his hip before shifting so that he ended up on his back with her on top of him. "I can't believe you're scared of a car, but you sail that thing of yours to god knows where." Emma leaned forward, her hands resting on the bed above his shoulders so that she could lean down and press kisses to his neck.

Effortlessly Emma shifted their positions, and he fell into it easily, his arms locked his blonde savior in an embrace atop him. She was perfectly fine pressed here like this, he enjoyed the feel of her this way. Plus, the visuals that came with her exerting dominance and being in the driver's seat were rather tempting anyway. "I'm not _scared_," Killian protested, tipping his head back for easier neck access, Adam's apple bobbing in this throat with a rumble of protest. "But they _hurt_."

Especially when they run into you and you bounce off of the hood and land on the ground with a hard, bone-breaking _thud_. Not one of his better memories.

"However, if you wish for me to learn to operate the _carrrrrrr_..." His accent rolled the 'r' like it should have been a pirate's mating call. "Then I will do as you say. Maybe."

Emma couldn't help but laugh at how he refused to admit he was afraid of cars. "You _are_ scared. But I'll let you be manly and pretend that you're not." Emma continued kissing and sucking different places on his neck. "I could make you hurt," she whispered with a smirk, biting the shell of his ear and letting her teeth graze down along the outer edge.

The way he said 'car' made her chuckle against his skin, biting now at the places on his neck that she'd been kissing before. "Oh, you'll do it, don't worry."

"You've already caused me physical pain enough, Swan!" Killian protested, squirming beneath her and her sadistic self. Not that he was making any _real_ effort to move, however. Especially not when she made him shiver, feeling the graze of her teeth which could sink into his pulse at any point. Emma Swan the vampire.

He snapped his teeth in return, going for her jugular from his on-the-back vantage point. "You're lucky I'm in love with you. I can barely even fit in your _car_. It's for short individuals, like you." Alright, she wasn't that short, but the little yellow thing wasn't exactly meant for tall, lean pirates.

"I am lucky you're in love with me," Emma said, a smile on her face as she pulled her teeth away from his neck long enough to look at him as she spoke. But that was the only reprieve he got as she went straight back to ravaging his skin, using her tongue to soothe the spots she'd nipped at before, especially his pulse point. "You could always try with David's truck, but I think that would be even harder."

His pulse rapidly sped up, about to beat free from his skin, but since his splattering, fluttering, black coal heart had gone straight into Emma's hands, it only made perfect sense that the rest of him did, too. "No, no, I'll learn with your canary yellow automobile. I'm sure if I wrecked your father's truck he'd want to punch me in the face again," Killian pointed out - yes, how David had done a few times before. But he was getting better. It probably helped that Hook came back when he said he would; he was two for two there.

David certainly was coming around after seeing the way that Hook and Emma interacted, and she knew that his opinion had to be changed now that Hook came back for her. Neither of her parents had expected him to or thought that he had good intentions with their daughter at all. Though if David's truck was wrecked that certainly would be a step backward so better to just stick to her stolen little bug.

Emma's hips dipped down, grinning against the side of his face as she kissed a line up to his lips. "Speaking of hard..."

"Speaking of hard..." His own hips surged up, the counter to her own, meeting her lips in a kiss that was deep and urgent. "You're naked on top of me, love, what else do you expect?"

"This is exactly what I expected to happen. Well, what I was hoping would happen." She pressed her lips harder to his, reaching behind her with one hand to feel what she could of him. Emma really just couldn't keep her hands off of him period tonight or her lips, for that matter.

Killian jerked embarrassingly, not expecting Emma to reach for the goods when she did, and he let out a muffled grown into her mouth as he kissed her desperately. It was unable to be helped, conveying how much he loved her when he did kiss her like that, like he was dying of oxygen deprivation and she was the key to his survival. In a way, it was sort of like that. Who knew where he would have ended up if he hadn't decided to come back to her with that magic bean...

"You never have to worry about that," he grumbled, in between kisses, his hand stroking down her spine and her lower back - even further down too, copping a feel since he had one good hand to do it and why not? "You're the most beautiful woman in all the realms," he grinned cheekily, giving her another kiss.

Emma breathed out hard when his hand found it's destination, unable to help chuckling at the grin on his face. He really _was_ adorable no matter how many times he tried to convince her otherwise. She turned her head to the side when he told her she was beautiful, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. She was still getting used to being called that. "I doubt that, but if you say so..." Her teeth pulled at his lower lip, distracting him for a second while she lifted her hips and used her hand to guide him inside of her, sinking back down until their bodies were pressed against each other once again. Emma groaned into his mouth, the hand still supporting some of her weight already gripping the sheets.

When Emma fused them together, he made a sound that was part a whine demanding more, part relief at the feel of her and being inside of her and how they fit together - which was perfectly, in his opinion. Killian's fingers clawed lines down her back, red marks that would fade, but for now were a stark contrast against her ivory skin, and his teeth sunk into her lower lip that was partly a kiss, too. He was dying and she was the remedy. Why not take it all?

"You shouldn't doubt it, especially now. You look perfect," he murmured, gaze having gone lidded and dark as he struggled to find words, any words but was having difficulty with that. "You look especially beautiful when you're fucking me." Which she was in prime position to do, and he wanted it _badly_. Women's liberation, the lady on top - now that he had no problem with at all. The men who did were just idiots.

Well, then he was about to find her especially beautiful because she intended to fuck him _good_. She hadn't thought about another round after the first, but the longer that they laid there together, she couldn't control how much she wanted it, how much she wanted him.

Emma lifted her hips and then brought them back down over and over again, sitting up more so that her hands were now resting on his shoulders and she could see his face better. She clenched her inner muscles voluntarily, creating a tighter fit for him and knowing it would also drive him crazy. Her lips lingered in front of his for a moment as she said in a breathy voice, "And you look especially sexy when you're being fucked, Captain." A small smirk formed on her lips before she closed the gap between them.

Calling him 'Captain' in bed was a surefire way to get Killian extra hot and bothered, spiraling him more toward animalistic lust. The way Emma was clenching those innermost muscles like she was some kind of skilled viper also helped push him along - and the kiss they shared was sloppy, broken only so he could kidnap a breath of air with a gasp, a groan, his fingers tangling in her hair firmly to keep her there for the moment. "Anyone ever tell you how naughty you are, Swan?" he rasped; it was rhetorical, but still. If not, he was telling her now.

Maybe he should have called her Sheriff. He was certainly a prisoner for her in this moment.

In this position, the reaction of most men was probably to fondle the woman's breasts, since they were _right there_ and men looked for any opportunity to do that. And he did, at first, rubbing the sides of her breasts and firm strokes to her nipples, but then he moved to stroking her from just underneath the rib cage to her hips with that same firm touch. Mostly because he'd rather look at her breasts than grab them like a twelve-year-old in a darkened movie theatre and also because there were other places to stimulate her just as well. "Harder," he growled out, his fingers moving in between her thighs to massage her clit in circles and side to side motions.

No, she had not been told that before, but it was something she'd expect to come out of his mouth. His mouth which was so close to hers that she could feel every breath he let out, every sound he made, until she felt his hands on her and pushed her upper body more away from him so it'd be easier. Emma didn't mind where he was touching as long as he was touching her, and she let out a gasp as his fingers moved between her legs.

In order to give him what he wanted, _harder_, she sat up straight with one hand holding her left breast, as she needed _something_ to hold on to. Being completely perpendicular to his body let her come down as hard as she wanted and let him go deeper until he disappeared inside of her.

Emma went back and forth between wanting to see his face and needing to close her eyes from the intensity of the position and the fact that his fingers were touching her most sensitive spot. She couldn't help the loud moans, the way her legs were shaking, or the fact that her head was spinning and she couldn't concentrate on anything but the way her body was slamming down against his.

He drank in the sight of her, rocking up and down on him - how perfect that he could _see_ everything, being inside of her from this angle, and his hand traveled to her waist, as it seemed more intimate than holding her by the hip. The way Emma was moving was _perfect_, her clit grinding against him, and of course seeing her cup her own breast, touching herself, was enough to nearly get his blood to boiling temperatures.

"That's good, darling, why don't you come for me?" he encouraged, his hips bucking up, his grip on her tightening. "Come _on _me. I bet you want to, Emma, don't you? You want to scream." She was already fucking him like a wild animal, why not let the whole world know it? Perhaps that wasn't feasible _technically_, but it was a pleasant thought. The Captain had no shame in being fucked thoroughly by Emma Swan.

Emma placed her hand over his on her waist, wishing she could actually respond verbally to what he was saying, to say that _yes_ she certainly did want to come on him, but she couldn't form a coherent sentence if she tried. Those words, however, were just what she needed, and she felt those same muscles she was clenching earlier doing it on their own this time. Her hand gripped his now as well, and her other hand moved from her breast to her hair, pushing it out of her face. And maybe she didn't quite scream, but she was still being pretty loud with those moans of hers as she continued moving her body against his, not wanting to stop until he was finished as well. It was probably a good thing that there were no other people staying in the rooms around them, but even if there had been, she wouldn't have cared.

The erratic flutters around him seemed to pull the response from Killian, too. He could feel Emma's release, the result of it, warm and sticky and soaking the both of them - coursing down him and her inner thighs in rivulets that tasted like honey, and he knew first hand. "_Emma_," he managed to say her name before he lost everything in a flash of white behind his eyelids, emptying into her completely as he didn't bother to hold back or deny himself in any way.

Another jerk of his hips ensured that he was completely drained of bodily fluids for now, his head tipped back on the pillow as he let out a long exhale of the breath he had been holding. "No more sex, Swan," Killian teased her. "...no more sex for at least five minutes." There, that was a good addendum. He was quite satisfied with them never being able to resist fucking each other at any point, as that seemed plenty healthy to him - he wanted to enjoy her, there was nothing wrong with that!

Emma finally stopped her up and down movements when she sensed that he was done, and she placed her hands back on the bed above his shoulders where they had been before. Even though her breathing was still coming out a bit ragged, she managed to laugh, burying her face against his neck and placing small kisses there for a moment until she could respond.

"But five minutes is such a long time," she teased in a whiny voice, pouting as she looked down at him. Who could blame them for wanting each other so badly after how long they'd been apart? "You're very hard to resist, you know." She'd realized that from the minute she'd laid eyes on him, but back then, she hadn't let herself give in to those thoughts, and the more she got to know him, the more those thoughts scared her. And now look where she was, completely in love with him and screwing him any chance she got.

His arms wrapped her up like she was a lovely gift package, holding her to him. Killian could feel Emma's stampeding heartbeat, and his wasn't any slower either, but pressed chest to chest like this, it was the perfect way for his to calm down. "_I'm_ hard to resist, when you know how beautiful you are," he scoffed, fingers running through her blonde hair which felt damp at the ends, both of them sweaty from the heat they generated with their activities.

"Fear not, darling, I'm quite certain I'll want to ravish you very soon. As soon as I can breathe and gather my wits about me." Though he'd probably need to sleep at some point; he was growing tired, yet he felt satiated and so..._warm_. He felt so good, in fact, that he didn't ease Emma off of him or attempt to move, to disengage and separate their bodies quite yet.

Feeling his strong arms wrapped around her made her feel safe, and she loved that. She had no intentions of moving right away; she liked the way it felt to be pressed against him like that, no clothes between them, just skin on skin. "_You_ are the one who says I'm beautiful. I never said I was beautiful." Emma never saw herself that way or felt like she was irresistible to anyone. Hook was certainly changing that, though.

She pushed the front of his hair back off his forehead, placing her lips there for a quick kiss. Emma knew she should be tired, but she was just so happy to have him back that she was afraid to go to sleep in case she woke up alone. Of course she didn't actually think she'd wake up alone, but it still bothered her. She'd had so many dreams that made her feel nothing but disappointment when she woke up and realized that he wasn't actually there with her.

"You've certainly lived up to all of the sexual innuendo you liked to throw at me every chance you got." He had talked a big game, and she had tried to play it off like she didn't want to find out if he was really that good, but as fate would have it, she did. And he was.

"Just call me Captain Innuendo," Killian smirked, and it was a moniker he bore proudly. But really, he just looked at it like he was providing a bit of zest to the lives of others, and everyone was just as dirty as him - even people like Charming - it was just that they made more of an effort to mask that part of themselves. In his opinion, anyway. "Your life wouldn't be the same without me."

Nor would his be the same without her; it'd be a lot more lonely and void of purpose and love. Idly, he wondered what would happen if Rumpelstiltskin and Tinkerbell actually found Baelfire and brought him back alive. Emma had loved him at one point. Perhaps seeing him would mean that she'd realize she had never really stopped. It wasn't something he wished to give much thought to, since it made his barely-functioning heart ache.

"I like calling you Captain." Emma returned his smirk, unable to disagree with his next statement. Her life would certainly not be the same without him. She used to think it'd be better if he wasn't in it, but she quickly realized that a life without him wasn't possible. Before she used to worry what Hook would do to Gold, and now she worried more about what Gold would do to Hook. There was a very good chance that he'd return from Neverland, either with Neal or not, but he would be back, and that would make things very complicated again.

"Oh, I like when you call me Captain," he growled playfully and then, "I love you, darling, you're not allowed to move." Except perhaps to unstick them, since their bodies were like velcro right now..

She couldn't stop smiling when he told her he loved her again, and she didn't think she'd ever get sick of hearing that come out of his mouth. "I love you, too. And I have no intentions of moving until you move me." He could take that whatever way he wanted.

He gave Emma's ass a light smack before he shifted to roll them over and she could flop on her back amidst the mess of wrinkled sheets. Killian was right there though, propped up on his elbow beside her. He leaned in to kiss her a few times, nuzzling with his nose like he was some sort of Eskimo (never would be admit to that, however!) before he got comfortable by tucking her against his side and cuddling up.

Yes, cuddling. The Captain must have lost his mind, and gladly so. "I'll make you breakfast in the morning, love," he promised. "We've got lobster on the ship. If the crew hasn't eaten it all by now." Or drank all the rum, but he'd have their heads for that!

Emma quite enjoyed how cuddly he could be after sex, but she chose to not tease him about it _this_ time. "You'll make me breakfast? That's intriguing." Emma gave him a look, but she really was just surprised that he offered, though she knew she shouldn't be. She may have doubted his relationship abilities in the beginning, but he'd done nothing but take care of her since they arrived in Storybrooke. Hell, he'd even changed his wardrobe for her when she wanted him to.

She should be flattered, as Captain Hook didn't make breakfast for just anyone! "Of course I will, and it'll be edible too," he quipped, in case Emma thought he didn't know how to prepare a morning feast. Only the best, nothing like runny eggs or...whatever pancakes were. Not that he hadn't enjoyed the pancakes. But fresh lobster and crab were much better choices, in his opinion.

"Well, I'm counting on that," Emma said in response to what he made being edible. He was probably a better cook than she was, really. She hated cooking, so if he wanted to make breakfast, she wasn't about to complain. "You might have to wake me up at a decent hour, though, or I'll probably sleep half the day away." Due to the all the fun they'd been having since he got back, that is.

"I'll wake you up in a rather lewd sort of way," the pirate assured her, and that was a promise he could keep, too. "Morning wood is always a problem, as I'm sure you know." That was halfway a joke, but he was kind of serious, too - and besides, wasn't the morning an excellent time to have sex anyway? For breakfast he'd eat Emma and _then_ the feast aboard the Jolly Roger, and that sounded delightful to him.

Emma laughed, rolling her eyes. "I can't even argue with you, unfortunately." She was not opposed at all to being woken up in such a way. "So wake me up, and I'll fix your little problem for you." Well, maybe it wasn't such a _little_ problem, but insinuating that was just amusing to her.

"Does Henry know you're back? He'll be so excited to see you." Considering Emma had been completely passed out when Hook got back into town, she had no idea if anyone else had seen him before he'd come to Granny's. She owed that kid an apology for doubting him, once again. He'd tried to make her feel better about Hook being gone, but she'd just insisted there was no way they'd see him again.

"I saw the young lad when I was tracking you down. I went to your parents place first." And seeing Henry had been good for Hook, too - truly, he wanted that whole 'family' life and always had. It wasn't just that he wanted to do right by Baelfire, although that helped. But even before Baelfire, Hook had wanted to have a family someday, he just assumed it was out of the cards for him. "He said he knew I'd return."

She was glad that Henry already got to see him and get the satisfaction of knowing he'd been right. "Yes, he liked to remind me of the way he felt about that every single day, so you can imagine how fun that was." Emma had tried to avoid the topic of pirates in general, but Henry always found a way to bring Hook up, like by making her watch Disney movies with him. "He would do things like tell me he wanted to watch a movie and then put Peter Pan in." They'd also watched that Hook movie with Robin Williams, which she enjoyed more than the cartoon. She really needed to make him watch that with her, just for fun.

Killian pressed his lips to the top of her head, burying his face there for a moment because it was comforting to him - and where he felt most at home anyway. "That's a godawful film anyway," he scoffed. "I'm always the villain, no one knows how dastardly Peter Pan _really_ is. But that makes sense for the lad to do. I'm sure I'll see him tomorrow, though he doesn't have to come driving with us," Hook added, dark lashes closing as he regulated his breathing. He'd let himself become comfortable here. "It'll be unsafe." Even if Henry could probably operate the automobile better than this pirate from the 17th century.

She closed her eyes when he kissed the top of her head, feeling much more relaxed than she had a few hours ago. "Because you being the villain is such a stretch, right?" she teased. "Though you sound a lot better than Peter Pan." No Disney movies appealed to her anymore now that she knew the truth _and_ knew what everyone really looked like. Snow White was just out of the question because it was too weird to think about her parents.

"No, I think it's probably a good idea to keep Henry away from you when you're driving." She knew he'd find it as funny as she did, though, so she'd be sure to tell him all about it. Finally, she felt herself growing tired and hoped that for the first night in many she'd be able to sleep without waking up a handful of times. But before she let herself completely give in to sleep, she tilted her head back to kiss him lightly, saying quietly, "Thank you for coming back." Emma knew she didn't need to thank him, but she needed to say it anyway.


	14. Chapter 14

The morning after Killian returned from sailing the wide open seas, he had woken Emma up with his head between her thighs because she tasted the best when she was still a bit wet from the activities of the previous night. Nothing could compare, really. _Then_ he had gone for the shower, with her, which was good preparation for the walk to the docks - something he was reluctant to do rather than spend all day in bed with her but understood that they couldn't just fuck their time away, as appealing as an idea as it was. But they had made arrangements to meet 'the family' on the ship too, and Henry was itching to spend a few hours with a _real_ pirate crew on the _real_ pirate ship for a seafood breakfast feast.

Emma was positive she had never woken up like that before, with curse words on the tip of her tongue. What a pleasant way to wake up! And no sarcasm either, because it really was pleasant. That man could do things with his tongue that she'd never felt before. The shower was certainly fun as well. Taking one by herself just wasn't as appealing anymore.

Charming was bringing the champagne and orange juice to make mimosas (and oranges were popular with pirates, since scurvy was always a problem) and when Killian got to the ship he immediately went down to the hold to bring the supplies up on deck and get started with everything.

First, the crabs were boiled and while that was going on, Hook grilled the lobster tails and basted them with a garlic butter mixture. The crew was bustling about too, already drinking rum from the kegs and carousing in the actually-nice-for-once weather, and the smells of the grilling seafood were succulent and aromatic. When the crabs were ready to be taken out of the large pots and cooled in ice water, Hook called Henry over. "Here lad, take the hammer and smash them," he instructed. "Then pull the meat out, and we'll dip it into butter."

Anything else ruined the flavor of the crab. And now to get himself a drink, but not too many - he had some driving to do later on.

Emma spent most of her time on the ship with her parents since Henry was busy following Hook around and helping him, which Emma thought was adorable. He was more than happy to smash the crabs open with a hammer. What kid wouldn't be? She didn't want to get in the way, so she just smiled at her pirate from afar whenever he passed by.

"Emma, we should talk," Snow said after a while, once she thought Emma had forgotten that she'd said that when they first got there. Emma certainly did _not_ forget. She'd been hoping her mother wouldn't try to talk to her again about her relationship with Hook because it was weird and awkward, and she didn't want to. Even worse, her father was right there, too.

"No, we should not talk," Emma tried but to no avail. She gave Charming a pleading look, trying to get him on her side, but he wanted to talk, too. What was with this family? She had to remind herself that this was how all families probably were, she just wouldn't know first-hand.

"Honey, he came back for you. He's obviously serious about this, and we saw how upset you were when he left." Apparently, she hadn't done such a good job at hiding her feelings as she thought.

"If you understand all of that then why do we need to talk?" Emma asked, looking at her father now, wanting to hear what he had to say. This conversation wouldn't be over until he did, she knew that much.

Prince Charming, who was now on his third morning screwdriver (he had spiked the OJ with the rum from the kegs after the crew was nice enough to show him where the supply was), held the glass he was nursing and threw an arm around his beloved wife's shoulders, the liquid sloshing in its cup. "We should talk," he repeated. "About..."

He lost his train of thought, damnit. His eyes glazed over and then all of a sudden he jumped, remembering. Neurons were firing! "..about what you're going to do when he leaves again, Emma," her slightly tipsy-slash-drunk father insisted. "Because we saw how upset you were the first time. When he left."

Charming paused again, gathering his thoughts. "Is there anymore of these?" he asked, referring to his breakfast drink of choice.

Emma looked at Charming like he was crazy, never having seen him drunk before. She was really supposed to talk to him now? "I think you've had enough," Snow said, taking the drink from her husband. "He is right, though, Emma. What are you going to do if he leaves again?" After receiving a sigh as a first response, Snow gave her an expectant look.

"Not if. When. He will leave again, and it will hurt like hell _again_, but I won't stop him. He loves me, I love him, and nothing else matters. Case closed. Stop asking." From the look on her parents' faces, adding the bit about how they were in love was probably not the best idea. She could practically see more questions forming, but luckily, she caught Hook's eye and tried to convey without words that she desperately needed saving. "And please don't drink whatever it is he's drinking," Emma begged Snow, not needing both of them drunk off their asses.

"Whaaaaat, Emma!" Her father protested this news that she was in love with a pirate, all while making grabby hands for the drink that Snow had pulled from between his fingers. He _hadn't_ had enough, he needed it now more than ever! "How do you know you love him? Are you sure you're not just broken up about Neal being gone and looking to displace that love?" Charming asked, and wow, look at him being all psychological while drunk. "Because I think - "

He was interrupted when Killian came over then, having noticed the _help_ expression in Emma's eyes and he let out a rumble of a laugh, all in good fun, at the inebriated Prince. "I see someone's found the rum," Hook said in amusement. "It's good, isn't it? Don't worry, mate. There's plenty to go around." With a grin, he clapped Charming on the shoulder. "Help yourself. Well! Who wants crab and who wants lobster?"

When Charming brought up Neal, Emma's eyes widened, wanting him to shut up because Neal was the last person who needed to be brought up. Instead of everything being dropped, the way she hoped it would when Hook came over, Snow just mouthed, "We'll talk about it later." And that was that. Emma rolled her eyes at her mother and also at Hook. In fact, she hit his shoulder, saying, "Do not tell him to help himself!" Because she could see now that he would, but at least he was Snow's problem once they were off the ship.

Henry came over then at the mention of eating, and Emma put an arm around his shoulders. "You should eat the crab, Mom. I helped break them open!" She couldn't help but smile at how excited he was. "Well, then crab it is, I guess." Henry led the way, pulling Emma along, and she grabbed Hook's hand to get him away from her parents. Regardless of if he wanted to continue talking to them, she didn't want him to.

It appeared as if Emma was eager to lead him away from her parents, but not that Killian was surprised. They were probably saying awkward things again, especially since Charming was just about three sheets to the wind. Normally, he'd find that more amusing, but right now he was just waiting for the other shoe to drop in terms of what the bloke would say. Oh well, best to focus on the lad. "And he did a fine job with that crab, too," Hook complimented about Henry's smashing skills. "They're boiled and ready, and I've grilled the lobster too so come help yourselves."

The crew were already stuffing their faces with greasy buttery fingers as they perused the ship, not using utensils - but that was par the course, really. "What was that all about?" he asked Emma, when Henry went to select which crab pieces he wanted.

Emma tried to brush it off like it was nothing, but the fact that her parents _actually_ thought she was only saying she was in love with Hook because she was still in love with Neal and couldn't have him made her angry. That wasn't exactly something she wanted to tell Hook in case he started thinking it was true, too. "What it's always about. You and me." That was the truth, but she wasn't telling the whole truth, and she knew he'd be able to tell. He could always tell, as annoying as that was.

In an attempt to maybe hide whatever tell she had, she turned her head to watch Henry, who was talking to a member of the crew. That kid could get along with anyone.

Killian raised an eyebrow in disbelief, though he didn't doubt that Emma's parents were hounding her again about her love life. But what it involved on a more in-depth level, well, perhaps it was better if Hook didn't get the details right now. "They'll come around," was all he said, and he would continue to stick by that. Even if it was looking bleak at the moment. "Nothing will change how I feel about you."

His arm went around Emma and he kissed the top of her head, watching as Charming sneaked a champagne glass so he could knock back a mimosa. They probably weren't supposed to be drank that _fast_. "He's going to throw up over the side of the ship, I wager," Hook chuckled.

They could certainly talk about it later, if he chose to bring it up again, but Emma refused to talk about it now. She slipped her arm around his waist, watching her father continue to drink. If she wasn't so annoyed by what he said to her, she would have found it more hilarious. "Good. That'll teach him," she said, a bitter tone evident in her voice, but to avoid having to address that, Emma decided to go eat with Henry.

That's how the rest of the morning/afternoon was spent; Emma sat with Henry, talking on and off about Grace and school and anything to keep her where she was and not around her parents. It was hard to ignore the feeling she got when she thought about Neal and realized that he could be alive. It was possible, and they wouldn't know until Gold returned. Every time there was a lull in their conversation, those thoughts resurfaced, and she was sick of it.

Luckily, Henry came to the rescue, as he usually did. "I think you and Hook should take us to the park," he suggested, referring to Grace, of course. Jefferson had chaperoned their last outing, so she supposed it was her turn, and it would be a nice distraction. "Yeah, sure, kid. Go ask him." Emma pointed in the direction of where Hook was currently, knowing he had just as hard of a time saying no to Henry as she did.

As predicted, Charming was a rather sick fake-Prince by the time the afternoon rolled around, and even he had lost count of how many drinks he had consumed. The crew took it all in stride, laughing uproariously as the man puked his guts out, and he would be apologizing profusely to his _lovely_ wife later on, but for now, he felt like death warmed in the modern day microwave. It made Hook snicker too, but he at least made sure to get Emma's father some water to drink after all that puking.

He was coming back from doing that when Henry approached him about the park. "Of course, lad," Killian agreed easily. "We can go right now, let me just - " Take the rum away from your grandpa, "...have a word with the crew." Though they'd be alright on the ship. There wasn't even any leftover seafood after that feast either, so no need to worry about anything going bad.

When he was all set he was dragged off toward Emma by Henry pulling on his coat sleeve. "I think the boy's got his very first lady friend," he said fondly, referring to Grace.

Emma stood up from where she was sitting when she saw Henry bringing Hook, knowing that meant he'd received a yes. "Oh, yeah. They spend a lot of time together, but he gets mad when David teases him," she said when Henry had gone to say goodbye to Snow. She knew Henry liked Grace, but she never insinuated that in front of him the way Charming liked to. "So keep your mouth shut," she added, her finger pressing into his chest, a small smile pulling at the corners of her lips.

Once Henry was ready to go, they were off toward Jefferson's house. Emma told Henry to go get her while she and Hook stayed behind outside. She liked to give him space when they were together, always walking a few feet behind them and trying not to eavesdrop. This parenting stuff was still new to her, but she was pretty sure that was a good way to go about it.

"You'd be a good dad," Emma said, seemingly out of no where, while they stood there waiting for Henry to return with his girl. Not that she was trying to tell him anything or suggest anything, but she really did think it was true.

Killian watched as Henry went to the door, eager to get Grace and...ah! Young love! How grand it was. He was quite sure he had skipped this part of the childhood experience, being forced to grow up far too fast, but Henry was a surprisingly well-adjusted kid given all the godawful things that had happened to him recently. Hook was glad, though. He was fond of the boy, too and a bit protective now.

"My lips are sealed," he promised, as Grace opened the door and dragged Henry inside for a second - probably had to finish fixing her hair or some girl thing. "...wait, what?" Emma just said he'd be a good father? _Really_?

He tossed her a slightly suspicious glance. "Are you...attempting to inform me of something?" She could have been pregnant but please dear god, _no_. Perhaps Emma had confidence in Killian's abilities to be a father, but he really did not. He'd probably go into shock if she was, but actually, it wouldn't have been _that_ shocking to know. They fucked like rabbits, and there hadn't been any talk of _preventing_ pregnancy.

The only young love Emma had had was with Neal, and she was seventeen, so not quite so young. That relationship had killed her hope of ever finding someone she could let herself love like that again...until now. But she wished she could have had more fun as a kid, so she intended to do her best to make sure Henry would grow up with some memories worth remembering, unlike her.

"What? No! I was just..." Emma wished Henry and Grace would have come out quickly so this conversation would have to end. She shook her head, all flustered now since she'd been trying to give him a compliment and hadn't even realized how it sounded. "Never mind." It was easier to say that than try to explain herself at this point, even though she really did think he'd be a better father than he thought he could be.

Killian laughed a bit, his arms going around Emma and he pulled her to him to kiss her briefly. "Alright, darling, alright," he tried to assure her, since he didn't want her to blush _too_ badly - though she was rather adorable when she was flustered. "Thank you for saying so. I've always wanted a family." Perhaps that seemed strange for a pirate to admit, but it was a secret that he kept hidden deep beneath layers of rascally attitude and unending innuendos. "I'll do my best with him...I know you want to be a good mother, too."

Hook wasn't Henry's father, but Baelfire was gone and so the young lad needed _someone_ to sort of step into that role. Maybe, in a way, Killian was also trying to make up for what he did to Bae all those years ago - by giving him up after their argument, and leaving him with the Lost Boys. It was something he shouldn't have ever done, and he regretted it every day.

Emma was a little surprised that he wanted a family but not as surprised as she would have been before this all started. She saw how good he was with Henry, and it was obvious that he enjoyed being around the boy. As for her, she was trying. "There's a difference between wanting to be one and actually being one." Not that she thought she was all that terrible. She knew Henry loved her, and she loved him, but she was still hard on herself every now and then.

She also knew that Hook felt bad about what had happened between him and Baelfire, but Emma couldn't help but wonder how he'd feel when he found out what happened between Neal and her all those years ago. She'd never told him the way Neal left her like that after they'd planned a new life together or the way that he'd left her money and a car but didn't come see her when she got out of prison, which was entirely his fault. She knew now why he did it, but it didn't make it hurt any less to remember. He was a huge part of why she was so closed off.

Emma would probably always be hard on herself, because all her life she had been led to believe she wasn't wanted or that she wasn't good enough to keep. So Killian understood, though he knew she was doing her best to be a good mother and that desire was there - it was more than he could say for his own parents. "You _are_, darling. I don't even remember my mum. I would say that makes me an expert on what's good and bad," he smiled ruefully, giving her hand a squeeze.

Henry and Grace finally came back outside, and Emma decided that she'd better not talk about it quite yet since Henry didn't need to know anything negative about his father. She simply laced her fingers with Hook's and started following them.

"What do they do on their park dates?" he asked, giving a nod toward Henry and Grace, who were obviously talking about something important up ahead. Maybe they went bird watching or climbed trees. It all seemed so innocent, so pure, and was nothing Killian had ever been acquainted with. There was nothing about his lifestyle that was _innocent_.

Emma watched Henry and Grace up ahead, always seeming to be smiling and laughing with each other. "They usually go on the swings and talk." She didn't know what they talked about, but they could talk for hours and not get sick of each other. She knew because she'd almost fallen asleep one time because of how long the two of them had kept it up. Emma had never wanted to interrupt them and ask if they were hungry or if they were ready to leave, so she'd let them do whatever they wanted and let them come to her when they wanted to go.

Arriving at the park, Henry and Grace both took off for the swings like Emma knew they would, and she sat down in front of the trunk of a large tree, the same one she always sat leaning against because it was far enough away that they didn't notice her, but she could still see him. "It'll be nice to not have to sit here by myself, but if you get bored or tired or whatever, you can go." Sitting and watching kids play wasn't everyone's cup of tea; it certainly hadn't been Emma's before meeting Henry, and she didn't want to force him to sit there all afternoon with her if he didn't want to.

He couldn't help but laugh as Henry took off with Grace; they seemed so content with such a simple thing, playing on the swings. As long as they enjoyed themselves, that was all that mattered. Killian didn't even think twice about it - he settled beside Emma by the tree trunk, moving close to her so she could lean against him and he could sling an arm around her, sort of down across her chest.

"I'm perfectly fine here," he insisted. "How about, while they discuss sweet things, you tell me all about the conversation you and your mum and drunk father had this morning?" Hook asked nicely, nuzzling into her hair, but he was infinitely curious. Whatever it was had obviously bothered Emma to some degree, and it wasn't just the usual 'ditch the heartbreaking pirate' talk either.

Emma opened her mouth to say something but then closed it again, sighing quietly instead. She'd been about to try and convince him it wasn't anything she hadn't heard before and that it didn't matter, but she couldn't do that anymore. Not after her hesitation. He wouldn't have let her brush it off anyway. If he didn't care, he wouldn't be asking her about it again.

"It started with them saying we needed to talk because I was..." Emma trailed off, barely even getting into it, but she was _still_ not the best at talking about her feelings. "...so upset when you left, and they wanted to know what I was going to do when you left again. So me thinking that I could shut them up...I told them I loved you, and they didn't believe me." The last part was said quietly, and she didn't even want to tell him the next part, but Snow had made it clear that they would bring it up again, so if she didn't tell him now, she would have to later anyway. "They think that I just wish Neal was here and since he's not, I'm deluding myself into thinking that I love you instead."

Her jaw clenched just thinking about that, hating that her parents had even put those thoughts in her head. She was finally happy, and they didn't even believe her! Emma hadn't looked at Hook the entire time she was talking, and she still didn't move her gaze from the swings even now that she was finished.

The mention of Baelfire had Killian nearly sent into an inward fit - his muscles tensed, and his mind was suddenly overcome with an inundation of memories he'd rather not deal with, but at the same time, he also felt his stomach drop to his shoes. Which meant that the lobster was suddenly seeming like a bad idea...

Nevermind that. He swallowed hard, his chin resting in Emma's hair as he looked past her, someplace further into the park where he could see Henry and Grace hazily, but they weren't focused. Nothing was focused, it was all just a blur of colors for him right now. Admittedly, he'd considered that, what Emma just said. That she still loved Baelfire, and he knew he couldn't blame her for it - she had fathered a son with the man, he could always be a part of her life no matter what.

"But that's not...that's not it, is it?"

He had to ask. Maybe a stupid question, but he _had_ to ask.

That certainly wasn't what she had wanted to hear. That was the whole reason she hadn't wanted to tell him in the first place because then he'd actually think it might be true, too. Emma shoved his arm off of her, moving slightly to the side so she wasn't leaning on him anymore. Her anger was stupid, but she couldn't help it.

"Do you really have to ask me that?" And admittedly, it did hurt her a little that he _did_. "I don't love Neal! He abandoned me. He's the reason Henry was born in prison and grew up without a father. I do not love him." Well, now she let that cat out of the bag without much explanation so she was sure he'd ask her for more details to fill in the missing pieces. Did she really need to mention prison?

And okay, maybe she told Neal she loved him before he fell through the portal, but she knew it wasn't the same kind of love she'd felt for him before. Ever since running into him in New York, she knew it wasn't the same. Hook came back for her, showed he cared about her, and she wasn't thinking about anyone else when she was with him.

Emma had briefly looked at him while she was going off about why she didn't love Neal, but now she was back to not being able to meet his eyes, and she hated it.

"_Emma_," Killian protested when she moved away, and he reached for her, but then his hand dropped into his lap, because perhaps she didn't want him to touch her. But he felt that he at least ought to explain himself, and why he had even asked in the first place. "I only wanted to know because he's Henry's father, and because of that, he's always going to have a connection to you that I won't have."

Perhaps it was foolish of him, but Killian was a man, and that's how men viewed things, in terms of passing on their genes and in that caveman-ish way. Baelfire fathered a child with Emma, so they'd always be connected, that was just obvious. "I didn't know about prison. I'm sorry, darling..." He moved closer to her, tentatively, and reached over to slide his hand along her cheekbone. "It's just that the thought of losing you is...unpleasant for me."

Emma turned her face toward him when she felt his hand. "You're not going to lose me. Just because he's Henry's father doesn't mean I should be with him. Or love him." Hearing that Hook was just afraid of losing her made her feel slightly better.

"And the reason I was in prison was because of Neal. We were supposed to sell these stupid watches that he stole so we could move away and start over, but he left without me. He called the cops and told them where he was meeting me. I had one of the watches on, and they arrested me." It was one of her more vivid memories, even though she'd do anything to forget it. "I hadn't heard from him at all after that until I found him in New York."

Even though Neal did it because August told him to, it still pissed Emma off just like it still pissed her off that her parents sent her away. They all may have had seemingly good reasons for abandoning her, but it didn't make it suck any less. Those good reasons didn't keep her from being alone almost her entire life. Hook could have done the same thing, but he didn't. "So do you understand now why you coming back means so much to me?"

Killian winced at the tale, immediately feeling a pang of regret for Baelfire's sake. He knew that must have been terrible for the boy, to do that for whatever reason, and live with the mistake. "That doesn't sound like him," he hedged cautiously. Of course he believed Emma, because why would she make it up, but Hook just assumed that Bae had some sort of 'reason' for doing such a thing to Emma when, presumably, he was in love with her just as she loved him.

And Hook knew he had no room to judge Baelfire either. He had abandoned the boy himself and given up any claims on him as a father long ago.

Of course it didn't sound like him because it wasn't his idea, and he hadn't wanted to do it, but Emma didn't feel like going into that. The point was that he _did_ do it, and the damage from that decision couldn't be undone, no matter how much she had turned her life around since then.

"I understand, darling. I've been there, and I know what it's like and I will always..." He leaned in to kiss Emma, under the shade of their tree. "I will _always_ come back to you. And I will always love you." She was the first person he _did_ love, since Milah - and one wouldn't forget that so easily.

Emma smiled as she heard those words from Hook again - that he would always come back, that he loved her. She knew it and felt it, but she liked hearing it. Fuck what her parents thought. They could think she was still in love with Neal all they wanted, but it wouldn't make it true, and she knew she had to stop worrying about it.

Now they were close again, and she stole another kiss, one hand resting on the back of his head. "I love you, Killian Jones. You may be the most insufferable man I've ever met, but I love you." He was also the most annoyingly persistent man she'd ever met, but that certainly paid off because here they were, kissing under a tree in the park.

"Insufferable? That's probably one of the nicer things you've said to me," Killian chuckled, his arms going around Emma, stealing her _and_ another kiss, because he could - and because Henry and his lady friend were probably still on the swings. Though perhaps they should be watching just in case, instead of snogging, but it wasn't like that could be helped!

Reluctantly he let go, but he kept his arm back around Emma and tucked her against his side. "Perhaps one day, when Henry's gone off to wherever he'll go - " For schooling, or to have a family of his own, whatever he desired, "...you and me, we'll sail off together, too. Or drive off, since presumably I could operate a car by then."

Henry and Grace were still, in fact, on the swings and paying absolutely no attention to Emma and Hook, so Emma had no problem being in his arms and kissed. Though she knew if Henry was to look at them, he probably wouldn't want to see his mom making out with the pirate, as much as he liked him.

"Oh, you'll be able to drive by the end of the night, I promise you that." She still had every intention of making him learn to drive just as soon as Henry was dropped off at Regina's, where he was supposed to stay that night. "But...maybe we don't have to wait that long," Emma said, now referring to them going off somewhere together. She'd been thinking about it, and it couldn't just be the two of them quite yet, and it couldn't be forever, but it was still _something_. It would still be time they'd spend together rather than apart. "I mean, Henry won't have school in the summer..."

She'd never brought up even the possibility that she'd want to go with Hook and bring Henry along, so she wondered what he'd think about it. He'd said he wanted a family, and they could be a family.

Killian's eyes widened, glittering bright blue with promise at what Emma had just suggested. He hadn't expected her to, so it was a pleasant surprise to hear her say it. He couldn't speak for a second until he cleared his throat, resisting the urge to pick her up and spin her around. "I suppose that's a possibility..."

And then he just tackled her on the grass, unable to contain himself. "Yes, yes, we should do that," he muttered, his face buried in the space between her neck and shoulder, leaving kisses there. "If the young lad wants to, of course." Provided that he'd want to be separated from his lady friend, but it wouldn't be for very long.

Emma started laughing when she fell onto her back, wrapping her arms around his neck. Now _that_ was a positive reaction. "I'm sure he'd love to. And we can be together...like a family." She bit her lip for a moment, just looking up into his eyes before pulling him down so she could kiss him, her lips soft and gentle. That was what they'd both wanted, to have people that cared about them, to change.

_Like a family_ was such a strange concept for Captain Hook, and he was _almost_ afraid that it would be yanked out from under him as quickly as it had been sprung upon him - as everything good tended to be - but he pushed those gloomy thoughts aside in favor of looking forward to this new venture.

"Yes, that's what I want," he murmured into the kiss Emma gave him, and kissing her in return just as sweetly - a term not often attributed to someone as rough and rugged as him. But that side of him was there, _sometimes_, a side he had long since forgotten about. Or _thought_ he had, but it obviously slipped out on occasion.

Emma saw that side of him quite often, which was why she knew his heart wasn't quite as black as he thought it was.

"I'm only going to be able to deal with you leaving so many times, so I'll go with you when I can and hopefully that'll be enough." She was still worried that he'd get bored with her. That he'd realize he didn't want to settle in Storybrooke for weeks at a time.

"It's more than enough, darling. Sounds like a compromise to me. I hear that's what grownups do in relationships."

"Well, I wouldn't know." It was half a joke, half the truth. Her relationships were never anything special - a lot of one night stands and the occasional guy who'd stick around for roughly a week. She had liked it that way, though. No emotional attachment, no commitment, just sex. "Until now." Hard to believe that she was finally in a somewhat stable relationship, and it was with Captain Hook.

"And as much as I love being in this position, I think we should probably save it for later." Emma turned to look at Henry, who was thankfully still giving his full attention to Grace. He was turning her around, winding up the chains of the swings so that when he let go, she would spin. She squealed in excitement, both of them laughing, and Emma was so happy to be there to see it all. She couldn't even imagine what her life would be like now if Henry hadn't found her when he did.

Unfortunately, Swan was probably right. This was a bit of a compromising position to be caught in by a couple of eleven-year-olds, so Killian sat up and dusted the grass from him and plucked a few bits from Emma's hair. "And where would you want to sail to, darling?" he asked, figuring that was a safe topic and wouldn't end in...lewd remarks from the pirate.

"Anywhere in the world. The Jolly Roger can go anywhere too, she's quite sturdy." Hundreds of years of use attested to that, but the ship was made of enchanted wood so perhaps that helped with the longevity. "Tortuga is a rather lovely pirate stronghold." And that was of course where some of the best rum came from, too.

"I have no idea," Emma replied, sort of surprised that she couldn't come up with somewhere she would want to go. There were just so many places, and she never had the opportunity to go to any of them. "I've never been...anywhere. I'd go wherever with you, though." It didn't matter where, as long as they were together.

Emma turned to sit sideways, her legs bent and resting over the top of his. "But I'm sure if you asked Henry that question, he could tell you a million places." She was positive that Henry had thought of somewhere he'd want to sail to if given the chance, which is one of the reasons she was so sure he'd want to go over the summer in the first place. "You should really watch Pirates of the Caribbean with him, by the way. I think Jack Sparrow is more your type of pirate than Disney's Captain Hook." Emma knew he had no clue what she was talking about, but he had to get used to watching movies sooner or later. "That would be another movie he made me watch to force me to talk about you."

"I will be sure to ask him his preference," Killian promised, leaning back against the tree trunk so Emma in turn could use him to rest against too, if she wanted. They may as well settle in and get comfortable, since Henry and his play date would probably be awhile. What on earth did they have to talk about for so long, Hook didn't know, but he was content to wait here with Emma and tie the grass into knots - it took him longer than it would since the pieces were small and he only had one functional hand, but eventually he'd make a fantastic grass crown for her! Like the princess she was by birthright.

Though he looked incredulous at the mention of Jack Sparrow. "Darling, I am the _best_ pirate, surely no film version compares," he smirked teasingly. "But I shall watch. And heavily judge and critique their version of a pirate's life. You will love it out on the sea with me, though. I've always thought you'd make a good pirate, too." Perhaps it was her penchant for illegal activity, so long ago.

Emma did lean against him, absentmindedly playing with the buttons on her shirt. "Ah, I don't know. Jack Sparrow's pretty hot." She tried to keep a straight face, but that didn't last long. "Just kidding, you're way better looking _and_ a better pirate." She did love the movie, but no one could compare to Hook. The _real_ Hook.

"Am I hot?" Killian asked, and the word sounded strange in his accent - used in such a way that was meant to be slang like how Emma had said, because it was awkward coming from old-fashioned Hook. "The hottest?" Though physically, his temperature was just fine! Probably running at a healthy 98.6, eh? Though granted, Emma _did_ have a tendency to get his blood racing in the most delicious of ways.

Emma was laughing a lot today, and she did so again when Hook asked if he was hot, sounding confused by the term and the way she used it. "Yes, I would say you're the hottest. And that's a good thing, by the way." She'd need to brush him up on some twenty-first century terms.

He'd told her twice now that she'd make a good pirate, and she still didn't see it. But then again, she guessed he'd be a better judge of that than she would. "And why would I make a good pirate? Because I used to steal things to survive?" Emma leaned in to kiss him, a smirk appearing on her lips. "Or because I'd look really good in leather?"

He met her halfway and kissed her, a firm press of lips against hers - twice, even. Because she tasted so nice. "I haven't really seen you in much leather," he rumbled, thinking over the possibilities. Of which there were many and likely she would know since she was the one with the vibrating cock. "Either way, I prefer you without a stitch of clothing on. But yes, because you used to steal things _and_ because you can be rascally."

It felt nice to joke around and laugh for a change, especially out in the fresh air. "Rascally? Now there's a word." She hadn't heard that one to describe herself before, so she had to think about it before she realized she didn't like it. "I am not, by the way." Okay, maybe she was a _bit_, but she would still fight him on it. "You're certainly more of a rascal than I am." She chose to ignore the comment about her having no clothes on because she knew where that would end up if she commented on it.

The rascally, rascally Captain! Yes, that was him. Killian seized Emma to pull her closer and kiss her, to nip at her lovely rosebud mouth with his teeth. "I'm such a rascal, aren't I?" He kissed the top of her jaw and her neck, noisily on purpose, his good hand crawling up her shirt to grope her breasts in their tree shadow. But mostly he just liked making her squirm, which was the goal.

"_You_ have the sex toys," he reminded her, not that Hook was complaining or anything. "Which makes you a naughty rascally pirate. Shiver me timbers!" Exactly. Swan was _really_ good at doing that. And at walking his plank.

Emma wanted to push him away when he started kissing her neck and sliding his hand up her shirt, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. There were goosebumps on her skin, and she had to bite her lip to keep herself in check. But two could play at that game, and she slid one hand under where her knees were bent up, resting it between his legs and only applying enough pressure so that he'd just feel it.

"Hey, having a sex toy is totally normal, okay? But I'm fine with being naughty since you seem to enjoy it so much." _That_ was the important thing. "And you're being highly inappropriate right now, you know that, right?" Not that she minded, of course, since she was dishing it right back. They were just lucky there was no one else around where they were sitting.

"Of _course_ I enjoy it - more than you know," the Captain insisted, and it was his turn to squirm a bit when Emma's minx-like hand found its way between his legs and oh, wonderful, now his trousers would be uncomfortable for the rest of the day and it would just be so _awkward_. It wasn't fair that a man's arousal was highly obvious whereas women just had to suffer with wet panties!

His teeth grazed the ivory skin of her swanlike throat, leaving kisses there, and while it wasn't very suave to palm her breasts so openly and so sloppily (like Killian was inexperienced which he was _not_), there was still something to be said for doing it. Right now. "And you clearly won't let me get away with being inappropriate," he grumbled, at least removing his hand from beneath her shirt. "Or actually, you're worse. I hope you realize. We should return to this tree sometime," he added. "I'd like to ravish you beneath it."

Emma tried to act like his hand on her breasts wasn't getting to her, but she was having a hard time of that, so she was glad when he removed it from her shirt. She also removed her hand, just to be fair. "What kind of lady would I be if I let you get away with it?" She leaned in to let her lips brush along his jawline, finding their way back to his ear.

"Stop putting ideas in my head," she murmured, her teeth tugging playfully at his earlobe now. "I don't need to be thinking about that for the rest of the day." And she was sure she would be. Emma pulled her face away from his long enough to check on Henry and Grace who were still sitting with the swings stilled, and it looked like they were playing rock-paper-scissors. "You know," she started, a thoughtful look on her face for a moment. "You might actually be kinkier than the version of you in my dreams."

He shivered, the feel of teeth on such a sensitive spot doing that to him. When Emma moved back into Killian's seduction zone after checking on the wee ones, he decided he wanted more attention so he let out a rumble of impatience from within his chest and pressed his cheek to hers so the sound was right by her ear; the facial scruff he was always sporting rubbed against her soft skin too.

"Do I even _need_ to put ideas in your head?" Hook wanted to know. "You've apparently been having dreams about me and oh, don't think you'll get away with that, Swan." Now he was a vampire, latching on to a spot on her neck that was aching for a bite. "Tell me _all_ about these dreams of yours."

Killian was also egotistical enough to believe that she used the vibrating cock while thinking about him - or at least, he'd let himself be deluded by that idea like any typical man would.

No, he didn't need to put ideas in her head, and Emma knew as soon as she mentioned those damn dreams again that he was going to say something about them. It wasn't her fault, though! She couldn't control what she was dreaming about. Her lips pursed together as she tried to keep down the sound bubbling up from her throat, a strangled moan. Those teeth of his made her body scream.

"We are so not talking about that right now," Emma tried, but she knew it was probably useless. His ego couldn't take not knowing. "You need to stop..." She paused for the briefest second as her eyes fluttered closed. "...doing that." It was the most unconvincing voice, and she couldn't even help it.

He did stop, at least for a brief moment, pulling back to grin at Emma while they were nose to nose. Killian rather liked the effect he had on her, and hoped that would be something that would never waiver the longer they were together. It certainly never would for _him_. "I'll stop if you tell me about your dreams," was his stipulation, with a quick glance over her shoulder at the kiddos. They were right as rain. Then he leaned in and pressed soft kisses to her neck, slowly, seeking out her pulse with no intention of letting up until he got what he wanted.

"They must have been kinky, as you said? And besides, what's wrong with making dreams a reality?" he chuckled against delectable skin, fingertips dancing down her ribcage, along the shape of her waist.

Emma didn't think Hook would ever not have an effect on her. She'd been fighting it for so long, and now that she'd given in to it, it was even worse. Worse in the best way possible, though. "Seriously?" she asked, rolling her eyes at his terms for stopping, but it was hard to be annoyed when his lips were pressing against her pulse point, making everything in her head spin.

She batted his hand away from her side, trying to fight against the part of her that wanted to let him keep going. "It doesn't matter. We can't make them a reality right now, and it's just going to make you even more horny than you already are." But maybe he deserved _something_. Well, no, he really didn't after how inappropriate he was being in a public place, but she couldn't resist.

Thinking about one particular dream that she assumed was brought on by the fact that they'd stayed in that hotel the one night, she turned to look at him, the smirk on her face already telling him that she was giving in. "Do you know what a hot tub is?"

Being discouraged, his hand pushed away, only spurned the Captain on more. And he wouldn't deny that he was horny - how could he not be, when Emma was so close and talking about her dirty dreams? He kissed her a few more times, down to her collarbone - which he took a bite of too, only soothing with the tip of his tongue. "Is it like a bath tub?" he asked, since no, he'd never heard of a hot tub before.

However, he knew how Emma used the word hot - when it didn't mean _literally_ hot but rather aesthetically appealing. Was it the same thing? Curious, he lifted his chin to be more at level with her face, watching her with almost unnaturally blue eyes.

Those eyes of his always made her stomach feel like it was about to erupt into a field of butterflies, but she covered that feeling up with her laughter. She'd never get sick of telling him about the more modern inventions of this world. That wasn't the point of why she asked him, but she'd get to that. "Yeah, it is. But bigger, and there are jets in it so you can feel the water coming out against your back. It's supposed to be relaxing." It _was_ relaxing when that's what you used it for.

"Since you've never even seen one, I guess I can safely assume that you've never had sex in one then?" Emma hadn't either, except for in her dreams. With him. In that hotel. And now because of him, she couldn't stop thinking about it.

"Jets?" Killian didn't know what Emma meant by _that_ either. He assumed she meant jets of water, like a stream of it, but the whole idea was strange to him, though not _entirely_ unheard of. Maybe it was sort of like a spa, and of course he had heard of those - or actually, public bath houses which may be where the whole concept came from. "I've had sex in many places but never a...hot tub," he replied thoughtfully. "Why, have you?"

Actually, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know _that_.

"When can we have sex in one then, if that's what you want?" Because Hook would give her anything she wanted, especially when it involved a mutual sort of satisfaction.

"You're so cute," Emma told him after he got that confused look on his face at the word jets, grasping his chin and pulling him in for a kiss. "No, I never have. Almost in a pool once, though." She'd had sex in her fair share of places, and just like he didn't want to hear about those places, she didn't really want to hear any stories from him either.

"I never said I wanted to." Emma had implied it, but it wouldn't be fun if she didn't give a little resistance. "You just wanted to know what happened in my dreams, and that's something that happened," she said like it was no big deal, even though it was driving her crazy just thinking about it. "But if I did want to, we'd have to go back to that hotel we stayed in. Why? Does that sound like something you'd wanna do?" Stupid question, but she asked it anyway for the sake of asking.

There was that wretched _cute_ word again! He tried to hide the puckered look on his face by kissing Emma, but it probably didn't work very well. Though how interesting to know that she almost had sex in a pool once. If it was with Baelfire, he _really_ didn't want to hear anything more about it. The grown man was still a lad to Hook, and probably always would be - no matter how old he got.

"Oh, but _darling_..." He wasn't above begging for it, because any sane man would beg on their knees for sex with Emma Swan in whatever a hot tub was. Killian kissed her again, _so_ sweetly like she seemed to like, just a soft touch of his lips to hers. "I just want to make _all_ of your dreams come true. So yes, let's do that. _If_ you want." But pleaseohplease want to.

Well, who was she to say no? If he wanted to do it, and it really sounded like he did, then they might as well do it. Emma practically melted when he kissed her like that, and she couldn't have said no even if she wanted to. "Here's the deal. You learn how to drive my car - _well_ - and then we can talk about where we're having sex." She had to add 'well' in there as a stipulation so he wouldn't drive it for five minutes and then try to give up. "Sound good?" She pecked his lips again before he could answer, her hand finding his.

Killian made an _mmmhmm_ sound, deep in his throat, which meant approval - though he wasn't sure how 'well' he'd learn to drive the car when he had never attempted to before. And if he was being honest, he was a little wary of the contraption too. But he'd promised Emma, so he'd continue to be a man of his word. "I'm sure you're a very good teacher, love," he purred, giving her another kiss in each corner of her mouth and then her cheek, where he nuzzled with his nose, very much wishing they could skip the driving lesson but _alas_.

In a moment of weakness, her sappy side came out, and she said, "You've already made my dreams come true just by being here with me, so everything else is just a bonus."

Emma's sappy side was rare, the rarest jewel he had ever come across. But Killian liked it. She was just such a guarded person, he thought he'd never get to see that side of her much at all but he was glad to be proven wrong. "And you as well," he told her, sounding gruff, but that's because he was a bit embarrassed. "I'm quite in love with you."

They were both not the best when it came to expressing themselves, except for when it was sexually, but they were getting better with each other. And just like she liked the reassurance she got when he told her he loved her, she wanted to give him the same because the last thing she wanted was for him to ever feel like what her parents thought was true. "I'm quite in love with you, too. And your ability to simultaneously annoy me and turn me on." Emma smiled, one of those genuine all the way to her eyes smiles that were mostly reserved for him and Henry because no one else could possibly make her as happy as they did.


	15. Chapter 15

**I know this is short, however, I kind of wanted to throw it out there. In the next chapter, there's a brief exchange between Emma and Ruby that alludes to this happening, so I wanted to actually write what it referred to for you. This is during the time that Hook was gone. A full chapter will be up soon for you all.**

**EDIT: To the guest reviewers saying this is short...yes, I know. It's supposed to be. It's not supposed to be an actual chapter. It's just an add-on.**

* * *

_Forty days and counting_  
_I'm going to sleep when_  
_I wake up there will be_  
_Thirty nine more days left_

_When I fall asleep I feel you with me_  
_Until I fall asleep and you are with me_

The only place Emma could think to go at the end of a long day was to Granny's to sit at the counter and drown herself in whatever she felt like on that particular night. Sometimes it was coffee, sometimes it was cocoa, and usually it was alcohol. The first couple weeks, Emma had shrugged off all of Ruby's attempts to talk about what was bothering her because she couldn't bare to actually confront her feelings. Emma would just receive a sad smile that told her her friend was there for her, and that was that. She knew Ruby knew why she was so depressed, and eventually the wolf-girl stopped letting her wallow in her misery and forced Emma into a conversation.

"Emma, I'm only giving you this drink if you _talk to me_." Ruby hated seeing her like this night after night, sitting in silence, yet always grateful when she left that she'd been allowed to stay as late as she did. No one else was left in the diner, as per usual. They were officially closed, but Ruby always hung around because she knew Emma needed to be there.

With a sigh that told of just how painful the whole situation was for her, Emma finally said, "He's gone. He left."

"You guys seemed so happy." Ruby didn't know at first that Hook said he'd come back. She didn't know anything except that one day she saw the couple walking through town together and the next, Emma was coming into the diner alone. Snow was the one who told her everything that she couldn't get out of Emma.

"_I_ was happy. I don't think he could ever truly be happy without his ship." Denial. She was still in denial about how much she meant to him. And she was on her way to another drunken night, so the resentment for that damn Jolly Roger was coming out.

"Just because he wanted to be back on his ship for a while doesn't mean he won't come back, Emma."

"Ruby, he's not coming back," Emma said forcefully, resisting the urge to slam her glass down on the counter. She was sick of people telling her that Hook would come back. What reason did he have? She didn't need that false hope.

"Did he _say_ that he'd come back?"

Emma looked up at that question, suddenly not wanting to be there anymore. "Yeah, he did. But there's a difference between someone telling you what you want to hear and actually meaning it." With that, she slid some money to Ruby and walked out.

* * *

_In an ordinary fairytale land _  
_There's a promise of a perfect happy end _  
_And I imagine having just short of that _  
_Is better than nothing _

_So you'll be mine _  
_Forever and almost always _  
_And I'll be fine _  
_Just love me when you can _  
_And I'll wait patiently _  
_I'll wake up every day _  
_Just hoping that you still care _

Another night, another drink. This time coffee. Emma had felt bad about the way she acted before when Ruby was just trying to help, and she didn't want the alcohol clouding her head if she was really going to try and talk about her feelings. Feelings that made her angry because she wasn't supposed to be in love. She wasn't supposed to need him. The fact that he had this much power over her emotions drove her crazy. She'd spent every minute since Neal betrayed her building up walls so that that would never happen again, and look where she was.

"I love him, Ruby," Emma said quietly, fingers curled around the coffee mug, letting the warmth burn her skin because it was better to feel that pain than the pain in her heart.

"I know you do," Ruby replied, to Emma's surprise.

"You know?"

"Oh, come on, Emma. I saw the way you looked at him."

"Well, maybe you know, but he doesn't." It bothered her so much that she hadn't told him. Because what if she never got to tell him?

"You mean you didn't tell him before he left?" Ruby had just assumed they would have said it already.

"No, I froze up. I got angry when I should have just been telling him how I felt. I couldn't say it."

"I'm sure he knows. Don't beat yourself up over it." Ruby believed that he'd be back, but she knew better than to actually say those words because they always got Emma angry with her.

"But he didn't say it either." Which didn't mean he didn't love her, it just meant that they were too fucking alike for their own good. Both of them too stubborn to say it and then regretting it afterward.

Ruby sighed, feeling her heart break for her friend. Emma was always so strong, and it was hard to see her like this. "Sometimes we just have to read between the lines."

"But what if something happens to him?" It nearly broke her to say that, tears threatening her already sore eyes. If something _did_ happen to him, Emma would probably never know about it. How would she find out? She doubted anyone with him gave enough of a damn to actually come back to Storybrooke and tell her. The not knowing was the worst part, and every day he was gone was another day she feared the worst.

"Oh, Emma!" Reaching across the counter, Ruby grasped one of her friend's hands tightly. "Do not let thoughts like that take over. You can't let yourself believe that. Hook will be fine. Gosh, he lived in Neverland for how long. You don't need to worry about him."

Maybe she was right, and maybe she wasn't. But when you loved someone, you worried, especially in this unique situation where the man she loved was off on a pirate ship to god knows where.

Emma continued drinking her coffee, letting it warm the back of her throat. Everything seemed so bleak since he left, and she was tired of feeling that way. She just wanted him back, wanted him to prove that she could believe in him. It was exhausting to be so sad all the time, but at least here, in the diner, she didn't have to hide it.

* * *

_Cause I'm broken when I'm open_  
_And I don't feel like I am strong enough_  
_Cause I'm broken when I'm lonesome_  
_And I don't feel right when you're gone away_

Ruby was the only person she talked to like this. The only person who saw her like this. When she was around her parents and Henry, when she was outside of Granny's, she never let herself come apart. She smiled, no matter how insincere, and she laughed, and she busied herself with anything she could.

Henry brought Hook up in many different ways. Sometimes bluntly, but usually, he just did things like make her watch Peter Pan or Hook or Pirates of the Caribbean. Anything to make her think of Captain Hook or pirates. He meant well, so Emma couldn't fault him for that.

"I wish I didn't care. It's killing me that I even give a shit." Emma was sitting _on_ the counter tonight, cross-legged while Ruby went about cleaning up.

"The fact that you care is a _good_ thing. If he left, and you didn't care, I think that would be a problem. It's okay to feel something, Emma." Ruby actually looked forward to these nights with Emma because usually she was alone while cleaning up the diner for the night, but now Emma was always there like clockwork. She was much better company than Granny, and Ruby had no problem dishing out advice and trying to make Emma feel better.

"I know, but it fucking hurts." Nothing had hurt this bad since Neal, but there was a huge difference. Neal betrayed her and disappeared without a goodbye. Hook hadn't done anything wrong to her; he just needed to be on his ship, and he'd promised he'd come back. It didn't hurt because she was angry with him. It hurt because she missed him, and her heart didn't feel the same when he wasn't around.

"You'll be okay. I know you. You've been through worse, and you'll get through this. Hook will be back before you know it, and then I'll say I told you so." Ruby smiled as she swept some crumbs up, eyeing Emma out of the corner of her eye.

Emma _wanted_ to believe that.

"It was different with Neal. He let me go to jail for him, and he thinks it's some kind of fucking joke. I can't even have a serious conversation with him because he treats me like I'm still that seventeen year old girl. Like I haven't got a clue what I'm talking about." She actually wanted to punch him in the face when he said he'd never bought her thing with lies. If Henry hadn't been there, she probably would have. "And he didn't even want me until he realized that Tamara was some psycho magic hater who didn't care about him at all. Who cares that I tried to tell him that before, right?"

She was also talking about him like he was still alive, but she couldn't quite bring herself to talk about him any other way.

"Damn," Ruby murmured, leaning against one of the tables, broom forgotten. "And with Hook...?" she prompted for Emma to continue.

"Killian-"

"Killian?" Ruby interrupted, raising a brow, a smirk on her face.

"Yes, that's his name, Ruby. Stop looking at me like that."

"Okay, okay, go on."

"_Killian_ makes me feel like I can actually let him in. I don't think it's a mistake. That's why him being gone sucks so much because he could prove me wrong."

"He is not allowed to prove you wrong, because then you would have proven me wrong, and we cannot have that!" Ruby teased.

Emma laughed, genuinely laughed, for the first time in what felt like years. "I don't know what I'd do without you," Emma said as she hopped off of the counter and wrapped her friend in a hug. "Thank you." It was a thank you for just being there and listening and not judging her. And even though she couldn't really feel better, she did have moments with Ruby where it didn't all seem so terrible.

"You're more than welcome. Anytime."

Slipping a few dollars for the drink onto the table they were standing near, Emma gave one last smile and headed for the door.

"See you tomorrow," Ruby called, and Emma nodded in response as she walked out.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: To the guests who commented on the last chapter being short...it was _supposed_ to be short. It wasn't a real chapter. It was out of order and just an add-on to give some insight into Emma's condition while Killian was gone. **

**And here is a real chapter just in time for the season 3 premiere!**

* * *

As if on cue, Henry and Grace started walking toward them, and Emma stood up so that they wouldn't have to see the way that her and Hook were sitting since she was practically on his lap. "Grace said Jefferson was making dinner and that they could take me to Regina's after, if that's okay?" Henry asked, a glint of hope in his eyes, practically begging Emma to say yes. She'd been supposed to deliver him to Regina's that night, but hey, if Jefferson said he'd do it, then she was fine with that. It also meant they wouldn't have to have dinner at her parents'. "Sure, kid. We'll walk you back to Grace's." Henry's face lit up, and he murmured a thank you before he and Grace started walking together toward the way they came.

Killian couldn't help but find it amusing that Henry seemed to all but ignore his mother in favor of wooing and charming the other young lass. He _almost_ made a remark about how precious a gift it was but didn't want to embarrass the lad so he merely settled for a 'don't drink the tea' quip about Jefferson's more hallucinogenic tastes and just...pretended like he wasn't there.

"Looks like we'll be alone sooner than I thought," Emma said once she and Hook started walking as well, the kids far enough ahead again that they were ignoring them. "I mean, unless you're just dying to go have dinner with my parents," she joked, knowing the answer to that one already.

"Dinner with your parents," he repeated, as if considering, and took Emma's hand in his to fondly lace their fingers for the walk back to the Hatter's. "Yes, love...I _do_ believe I'm going to have to pass on that. I'm quite certain that they'd rather have a quiet dinner on their own too. Besides, Charming is probably still nursing a headache from his vomiting session this morning."

He was pleased to get to be alone with Emma sooner rather than later. Hook would be looking forward to that after-driving conversation.

Emma had forgotten about her father getting so drunk that morning, and now that she wasn't quite so angry with him, she found it more amusing. Would Charming ever be able to be around the two of them without drinking? Probably not for a long time. "Good, because we weren't going even if you'd wanted to."

When they reached Jefferson's, Henry called goodbye to them and waved before disappearing inside with Grace. Emma chuckled, amazed at how fast he was growing up. She only wished she could have been there to see him grow up thus far, but that was her own fault, and he'd turned out more than fine, so she knew she had made the right decision.

"Well, first thing we need to do is go back to Granny's so you can change your clothes because you're certainly not wearing that if we're leaving Storybrooke tonight." Emma started walking away, pulling on Hook's hand to get him to follow her. She knew he loved his leather, but that definitely more suited toward a pirate ship rather than a four star hotel.

Killian waved goodbye to Henry too, with his actual hand and not the hook, but then was quickly yanked off by Emma - who seemed more than eager to get their evening started, and Hook didn't blame her at all. Because _he_ was eager, too - as wary as he was of the automobile, a part of him also enjoyed danger and the thrill of a new challenge, too.

"Yes, alright," he laughed quietly. "I'll pack a bag and I assume you want to as well. Like a change of clothes, the vibrating cock, and your toothbrush." Did she notice how he slipped the sex toy addition in there? So smooth, he was!

Emma turned and glared at him, wishing she'd never shown him it, except they had a lot of fun that night so it worked in her favor. "Why do you like that thing so much?" Not that that was much of a question. It was a sex toy, so who wouldn't like it?

"Oh, come on, Swan! What's not to like?" The whole thing made Killian laugh harder, though it was mostly the look on her face. "You came so hard too, right in my - "

As they walked along the sidewalk toward the inn, Ruby passed by, and Emma didn't miss the look she gave them. Instead of surprise like the first time she saw them together, she was now _smirking_.

Hook flashed her a charming grin edging on the roguish side when she walked by them; it seemed fitting, even if he had no idea why she was smirking. But there must have been a good reason; he hadn't been speaking that loudly, so she probably didn't overhear his remark about Emma's orgasms.

"I saw that!" Emma called to her, and Ruby simply laughed in return as she continued walking, calling out an "I told you so!" Ruby had witnessed quite a few of Emma's early mornings and late nights in the diner with either coffee or beer while Hook was gone, and she was just happy to see them together again.

"Don't ask," she said to Hook before he could, pulling the door to Granny's open. Did he really need to know all of the details about how depressed she'd been while he was away?

"Of course I'm going to ask, darling...does she know something I don't?" he inquired innocently, following Emma inside the bed and breakfast and then up the stairs toward their room. Why on earth would she think he _wouldn't_ want to know? That was almost as silly as wondering why he liked watching her pleasure herself and using the vibrating thing in their bedroom activities.

"Yeah, I figured." Of course he would ask anyway. It wasn't like it was some big secret. She just didn't like how pathetic it made her seem. Drinking by herself until well after midnight? No, she wasn't upset at all. "She doesn't know anything you don't know. We just...talked a lot while you were gone. That's all." Emma was very good at that whole not lying but not exactly telling the truth thing. Too bad it didn't work on Hook.

_Talked a lot_. Well then. Killian took that as the whole thing previously involving lots of girl talk and potentially ice cream and sappy films - and of course a part of him felt guilty, because he had put Emma through that. "I'm glad you talked to her, darling. And that she was there for you," was what he settled on, rather than re-hash how depressed she apparently had been and, admittedly, how depressed _he_ had been without her, too.

"Yeah, I guess."

After going inside, Emma sat on the bed, running her fingers through her hair and sighing as she tried to not think about the way she felt when he left and how she was going to eventually feel like that again. Instead, she busied herself with throwing clothes into a bag while waiting for him to change out of his pirate clothes so they could get the driving lesson over with. She figured once he learned how to use a car he wouldn't be so afraid of them, even if he wouldn't _admit_ he was afraid of them. The bag just happened to already have the vibrator in it, but she could pretend she didn't know that for now.

Killian rid himself of the hook first and foremost and the leather jacket, - he'd wear the fake hand in a glove thing for when they went to the hotel - then unfastened the waistcoat. Once he was shirtless, he went for the drawers of modern clothes to pack a change for tomorrow and then when that was done fetched a few other things he'd need.

"What new thing will I learn next, I wonder?" he asked as he dropped the leather trousers, playfully throwing them at Emma to put on dark jeans instead.

Emma caught his pants, tossing them on the bed and rolling her eyes. "That's a good look for you," she said while he was standing there with no pants on, not bothering to hide the fact that she was blatantly staring at him.

"What, this?" Killian motioned to himself in only his boxer briefs - and technically, Emma had taught him about those, too. And he was very grateful for that. "You like this, darling? It's all yours. Free of charge," he added with a wink and a crooked, white-toothed smile.

However, the jeans were pulled on a second later and so was a long-sleeved t-shirt that was black because Hook couldn't seem to wear any other shade.

"I know, and I am very grateful for that," she replied, a small laugh accompanying her words, but she was being serious. She didn't know what she'd do without him now that she had him, and it was nice to finally be able to admit to herself how much she needed him. "So what do you want to learn? I enjoy teaching you new things." Like what a vibrator and a hot tub were, mostly.

"What other toys are out there?" he asked very seriously, putting his jacket back on so it wouldn't look so odd with his gloved hand. "You should teach me all about those. Extra additions and the like."

"Why am I not surprised that _that's_ what you want to know about?" Emma had to actually think about it for a minute, as she didn't own any other sex toys besides the one he'd seen already. "Depends how weird you want to get, I guess. You'd be surprised what they make. Or maybe not." She didn't know what people did years ago when they wanted to 'spice things up'.

The idea of 'weird' sex toys was kind of intriguing for Killian. "Are there many things that vibrate?" he asked quite seriously, his hand stroking his chin in contemplation. "And I'm sure you've got handcuffs, sheriff." Those wouldn't exactly work on him, and he had already tied Emma up. It was a delightful experience, though.

Once again, Emma laughed. She'd never had to have a conversation about sex toys with anyone before. "Yes, there are many things that vibrate. That's the main appeal for women." She preferred he did his own research because every time she explained what something was to him, he just wanted to try it. "I do have handcuffs, but that's not really fair since I can't use them on you."

"I will research this more," he decided, then slung his bag over his shoulder. "Ready to go, darling? For my very first driving lesson?"

Since he was seemingly ready to go, Emma grabbed her bag from beside her on the bed and stood up, fully ready to go as well. "I'm ready, but the real question is are you?" He was hiding his nervousness pretty well, but she could still tell it was there. "I promise it's not that bad." She gave him a kiss before heading out the door, glad that they'd be staying somewhere else that night. As much as she did like Granny's, it would be nice to sleep somewhere without people who had wolf-like hearing.

With thoughts of things that vibrate on his mind (would anyone be surprised?), Killian followed Emma out the door and back down to where her little car was parked. There just seemed to be so many _gadgets_ to operate all at once within the automobile. How was he supposed to learn to do that? Then again, he sailed the Jolly Roger with no trouble. And it was a much bigger vessel. Captain Hook also possessed a certain degree of stubbornness - alright, a _lot_ of stubbornness - and so if he put his mind to this venture, he wasn't going to back down until he got it right.

His bag was tossed in the backseat, and he went around to the driver's side, peering warily at the seat. Like it would suck him down into Hell if he sat in it. "You _promise_ it's not that bad?"

Emma tossed her bag in the back seat as well, taking the keys out of her pocket. "I _promise_," she reiterated, not able to help the smirk on her face as she got into the car. Before he got in, she moved the seat all the way back for him since it would probably take him ten minutes to figure out how to do it. "Here, put it in the ignition. And I mean the key." She made sure to specify so that he wouldn't make any jokes, though she was sure that was happening in his head regardless.

"Oh, I'll put it in the ignition, alright," Killian quipped - really, she had to have seen that coming. But that was the only innuendo for now.

"Alright, the right pedal is the gas, the left is the brake. Don't press down on either of them too hard unless you want to go flying forward. Speaking of which, put your seatbelt on." Emma sort of forgot to not talk so fast as she was trying to explain stuff to him.

Dutifully, he took the key from her and settled into the driver's side seat, doing what she said. He had seen Emma fasten her seatbelt before so he knew how to get it to click correctly, and he had also clicked his own into place when he rode in the automobile with her.

Erm...alright then. Gas. Brake. His good hand, the right one, gripped the steering wheel firmly after he turned the key in the ignition, listening to the car purr at him. "This is the gas?" he repeated, pressing on that pedal. Interestingly, the car's engine whirred louder at him, but nothing else happened. "...we're not moving. Did I cock it up already?"

"Did you cock it? No, don't say that." Emma rolled her eyes, taking his hand and putting it on the gear shift."You have to put it in drive. It's in park right now so that the car doesn't move and you can keep it on." Then she realized he didn't know what drive was.

Killian rolled his eyes too, sapphire blues to the ceiling of the car and back. "It's an expression, Swan, just another way to say fuck it up." Now, see, he was teaching _her_ something! But he let her take his hand and move it to where it needed to be.

"Move it down until it's on the D, and you have to keep your foot on the brake." It was a good thing there were no other cars parked around them. "After that, you can let up on the brake, and it'll go. Just go _slow_." She'd never had to teach anyone how to drive before, and she'd learned by watching other people and basically teaching herself, but she didn't think it was going to go too horribly.

He watched as the stick thing was shifted to where there was a capital D, and he assumed the other letters must mean other directions. R for reverse, but what was N? North?

"What do the others mean?" he asked and sort of didn't heed the advice to go slow. Hook had a lead foot, which he pressed on the gas and the car lurched forward before he quickly slammed on the brake in nauseating maneuvers. "Good god! This car is possessed!"

But then he tried again, giving the gas a _very_ slight tap. It sounded like the car was growling at him, and he kept giving it little taps, which was more like stop-go motions at five miles per hour. This was the art of driving? Sailing seemed so much more advanced.

"The only ones you need to worry about are D, R, and P. R is reverse. Don't worry about the numbers, they're just different gears. And N is neutral. You don't want to be in that," Emma explained, not wanting him to be too worried about things he didn't need to use. And then he hit the gas hard...and then the brake even harder...and Emma resisted the urge to yell at him as she flew forward, her hands outstretched to rest against the dashboard. "I don't think the car is the problem," she said as calmly as she could manage.

Hook going slow and continuously hitting the gas off and on was almost worse, though. "Okay, just keep your foot on the gas lightly and let the car go. Have you ever felt the car do this when I was driving?" No, he certainly had not.

"_Lightly_ let the car go. Yes, it's like making gentle love to the car, isn't it? You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Killian asked the car, mostly talking to the dashboard, and then gave the gas a _very slight_ push with his foot before quickly taking it off, letting the car coast.

That was it, wasn't it? He was doing it right? It appeared to be that way, even though Killian was going so slowly. the speed close to 10 miles an hour, it was possible a snail just passed them. So he sped up a little, still going straight.

"Aha! I've got it, darling, do you - _fuck_!" That was an exclamation when he accidentally flicked the windshield wipers on, and he wasn't expecting that, so he didn't know how to turn them off.

Emma gave Hook a look like he was crazy while he was talking to the car, but she just kept her thoughts to herself on that. He seemed to be doing okay. The car was moving pretty slowly, but that was better than him going too fast and slamming on the break again. She was about to tell him how well he was doing, but then he hit the windshield wipers, and Emma started laughing hysterically at his reaction.

"Here," she said leaning over, still laughing, and flicked them off. "The other side are your turn signals. You have to put them on so people know which way you're turning." She felt a little bad for making fun of him, but she couldn't help it. He'd do the same to her if their positions were switched. "And you can go a little faster still. Just watch for stop signs." She hoped she didn't need to explain what those meant.

Oh, she just thought it was so hilarious, didn't she? Killian grumbled and pouted, but he couldn't really say much in response. Or chastise Emma for laughing at him, because he'd have, of course, done the same thing - but all in good fun, naturally. He was well aware of the fact that he probably looked like an idiot behind the wheel, but he'd manage one way or another. This car thing would not defeat him _again_.

"Ah, the port and starboard side," he noted, flicking the left and then the right turn signal. Kind of like steering a ship, so at least he was getting the hang of it. Unfortunately, he turned a little too sharply to the left and squealed the tires - but then got back on track soon after. Killian hoped that Emma wasn't a victim of motion sickness!

"Yeah, sure, if that's how you want to think of it." Emma had heard of those ship terms before, but she didn't know which one meant which direction. She was lucky she wasn't already throwing up at the way he was driving, but she was holding it together pretty well and trying to just have faith that he'd pick it up eventually.

"...this isn't so hard. Oh, here's a stop sign."

_Screeeeeech_ went the tires again, but at least he did stop!

Emma couldn't stop the sarcasm in her voice when he came to a screeching (literally) halt a few inches past the stop sign. "Yes, that would be a stop sign, Hook."

Okay, so he _did_ stop, but he was still not getting the hang of the brakes. "When you know you are gonna have to stop, it's better to start _easing_ on the brakes beforehand. But you're doing really well for someone who didn't even know what a car was before coming here." She knew he'd do just fine, though. "Now turn right and don't go over the curb."

"I'm a quick learner, darling," Killian replied smoothly - though obviously the ride wasn't as smooth as he believed he was. "Aye, lass, I'll bring 'er in to the starboard side..." Okay, at least that time he _eased_ on the brakes as he went into the turn rather then awkwardly slamming on them and bringing hell to the tires, almost fishtailing the car. Which he did _not_ want to do.

There, that was good. Nothing screeched or squawked at him after he made that turn. "What do these buttons do?" he asked, taking his hand off the wheel and sort of steering with his wrist and his knee, poking at all the shiny things on the center console - one was the radio, another the air conditioner, and was this a cigarette lighter?

When Hook managed to successfully turn without murdering the brakes of her poor car, Emma thought she could actually relax for a moment while he drove the rest of the way down the street, but she was wrong. Was he really already getting preoccupied with other things? "Okay, you have not been driving long enough to multitask." She grabbed his hand and put it back on the steering wheel, but she would go ahead and tell him what everything was anyway so that he'd stop pushing it. "A lot of those buttons do random things to the radio, but that's the one that turns it on." He'd already turned it on, and it happened to be a classic rock station. "That controls the air or the heat. Those are the hazard lights, which we hopefully won't need. Those are the important ones. Oh, and that thing's a cigarette lighter." Emma pointed everything out while making sure he was still paying attention to the road.

Perhaps the Captain had a touch of ADD too, as demonstrated when he had gone for all the buttons and dials, but he had never driven a car before! It could be expected that he'd want to see _everything_. "Hazard lights? What are the purpose of those? And what the bloody hell is this _music_?" His nose crinkled, as if he had sniffed something foul. It just sounded like pure noise to him.

"All four lights on the car blink at the same time to let people know you're stopped or there's something wrong with your car." Emma turned the radio off after his reaction to the music, shaking her head. "It's rock music from the eighties...not that you even know what that means." Sometimes she wondered how to answer half of his questions because they just brought up _more_ questions.

"Turn in there and try to park in one of the spaces. Between the white lines." There was a parking lot for the convenience store coming up, and it was mostly empty. Might as well give it a shot.

Following instructions, he put on his turn signal on the port side and pressed the gas, probably a bit too much, because when he got into the parking lot he swerved crookedly and hit the brakes to slow down. "Between the white lines, of course," Killian responded easily, tongue between his teeth in a look of concentration as he angled the car where Emma said to. It wasn't _exactly_ between the lines. Actually, it was more like the car was turned sideways across two parking spaces.

"How was that, darling?"

She chuckled when asked how his parking job was, looking out the windshield to see where he managed to park the car. "Uh...you know I meant between two lines, right?" Emma teased, but then realized it would be the perfect time to watch him try to back the car up. "Try again. Just put it in reverse."

Killian was glad that he got to practice putting the car into reverse, too. He wanted to understand everything about how this automobile worked, so he carefully switched gears and _carefully_ pressed the gas. Only he didn't realize that you had to turn the wheel the opposite way you wanted the ass-end of the car to go, so he ended up learning that quickly while making a 360-degree turn and cursing like a sailor - or like a pirate, rather.

Emma just leaned her head against her window as he took the car in a complete circle, trying her hardest to not laugh again, but it was difficult. "I probably should have told you which way to turn the wheel. We can blame that one on me." She kept forgetting to tell him all the little things she just assumed he would know. But how the hell would he know?

"It's impossible to get this thing between the lines!" he complained but then switched gears again to try once more. The car lurched forward into the space, mostly on the left side. Not perfect, but it would have to do.

"See, it's not impossible. Sometimes I park worse than this, so I'd say you did a pretty good job." If they were in a crowded parking lot, however, he probably would have crashed into a handful of cars.

"Put it in park for a minute." Emma waited until Hook had switched the gear before leaning over to kiss him, first on his cheek, then the corner of his mouth, and finally his lips. He deserved a kiss after all of that and putting up with her laughter. "I'm assuming you want me to drive us out of here?" She couldn't even imagine him driving outside of Storybrooke...yet, anyway. He'd get there, though.

He found it hard to believe that Emma parked worse than _this_, but it was nice of her to humor Killian. But overall, he thought that his lesson hadn't gone terribly - at least he hadn't crashed the car? Of course, it helped that there was hardly any traffic in Storybrooke. Otherwise, they'd have been up shit creek quite a bit. Hook needed to practice driving with no one around for miles; it was safer that way.

The new driver would have ran around to the passenger side like his ass was on fire, but then Emma kissed him, so he was suitably distracted with that. Best part of the lesson was the reward. He grinned against her mouth, kissing her again. "Yes, if you wouldn't mind? Unless you want me to potentially drive off a bridge or some such. I'm not quite ready for the open road, darling. But I didn't do too badly, hm?" he asked hopefully, pulling back to open the door and switch places with her.

"I'll pass on the whole driving off a bridge thing." Emma moved the passenger side seat back like he'd had it before and then got out as well. "You did better than I thought you would, if that makes you feel any better," she teased, getting into the driver's side and adjusting that seat to suit her height.

After putting on her seatbelt, she backed out, and they were on their way back to that hotel they'd enjoyed so much the first time around. It would be much better this time, she was pretty sure of that. They drove in silence for a while, but it was a comfortable silence. Emma's head, of course, had to go to places that it didn't need to, and she found herself wondering about her conversation with her parents that morning and then when she'd told Hook about it. "You believed me, didn't you?" she asked sort of quietly without saying exactly what she was talking about. "I shouldn't even bring it up again. I don't know why it's bothering me." She did know why, though. It was because she _still_ felt like she could lose him at any moment. Like she wasn't good enough to keep him around, even though he'd tried to tell her otherwise.

Her question took him by surprise, while Killian was watching the scenery go by. It was quite a bit of scenery too, mostly lots of green and _trees_ turning into civilization the more they left the Storybrooke city limits behind. But he turned to look at Emma instead, watching her profile as she drove. "Of course I did, darling," he replied, sounding sure of it, too. "You've never lied to me, have you? Why would you start now?"

And Killian trusted Emma. Truly, he did - he was in love with her, and he trusted her, which is something he hadn't experienced in awhile. They had already had that conversation when he implored her to trust him by the beanstalk, but of course she hadn't at the time. Now, he liked to think that she did since they'd had time to _learn_ how to even trust another living soul once more.

Emma didn't look at him, choosing to focus on the road instead. She just nodded that he was right and that she'd drop it. It wasn't much longer after that that she pulled into the hotel parking lot, trying to actually pay attention to how she was parking in between the lines after their little lesson. Before getting out, she grabbed her bag from the back seat, slipping the handles down to the crook of her arm. "Hey, I did pretty good," she said after shutting her door, seeing that she was pretty much in the middle of the two lines...maybe a little to the right, but at least she wasn't crooked.

She wrapped her arm around his waist long enough for them to walk inside before she had to go up to the front desk and request a room. Well, more like a suite. Not the cheapest thing in the world, but Emma didn't really mind. It would be more than worth it, even if the room would probably be two times the size of the one they were staying in at Granny's. "You ready?" she asked, coming up to him and flashing the keys.

Hook didn't believe her, that she was alright and willing to erase the question she had asked completely - not by a longshot. But Emma seemed to not want to talk about it at the moment, and he thought it better to wait and ask her later. When the best time would be, he wasn't sure, but Killian was impatient and he wouldn't wait until after they had sex because by then he'd be too knackered to talk!

Instead of dwelling, he went with Emma inside the hotel - it really was a lovely place - and flashed her a grin when she returned with the keys. It must have been expensive, but he'd pay her back by trading in a nice chunk of rare treasure for money. Probably enough to buy the whole hotel, but that was neither here nor there! Maybe Emma had always wanted to own a hotel. "I'm ready, love, lead the way. Should we get room service first, or am I going to remove your clothes as soon as we get inside?"

There was a hot tub in there too, right? He was very anxious to experience one.

"As much as I would love the latter, I think we should eat first. You'll need your energy." Emma laced their fingers, heading into the elevator, which conveniently opened as soon as she hit the button with the up arrow on it. They hadn't eaten anything since that morning, so she figured it would probably be a smart idea, not to mention the food would be a nice change from Granny's. Not that Granny's wasn't good, but she ate it almost every day while Hook was gone because she never felt like driving out into the city after those first few days that she'd spent there.

The room was on one of the top floors, and it was already obvious how large it was by the fact that there were very few rooms even on the floor at all. Emma slipped the key into the slot and pulled it out, turning the handle on the door and pushing it open.

Well, _damn_, it certainly was huge. The first thing they walked into was a living room style area with furniture and a TV. The bedroom was a room all by itself, and the bathroom was as well. She knew that would be the room he was most interested in looking at so before ordering any food, she walked in there. There was a shower and also the very large, slightly square tub that would probably take a while to fill up. "Those holes are the jets, since you were wondering. You turn them on once it's filled up."

"Hmmmm!" was the contemplative sound Killian made as he examined the tub, brushing his fingers over the holes and along the edge of the tub too, as if getting a feel for it. "It looks delightful. But I don't want you to pass out while we're in it, so yes, eating first might be ideal."

Though that didn't mean he couldn't go back into the bedroom portion of the suite, slipping his jacket off and flopping on the bed on his back. "Come and lavish me with attention, darling," he implored Emma. She'd probably just go for the room service menu without giving into his demand. Feisty lass.

Emma took her jacket off as well, just leaving it on the floor with her bag. "You're so needy," she told him as she did indeed grab the menu first before sitting on the edge of the bed and more or less ignoring Hook. Sure she was hungry, but she also just didn't want to give in to him that easily. "You might just be worse than a girl." It was hard to completely ignore him, especially when he was wearing what he was wearing, but she just continued reading the menu over.

"What do you want?" She tossed the menu his way after finding a few things that sounded good to her, wondering if there was anything he'd be interested in. Emma wasn't particularly picky when it came to food. "Pick out a wine, too."

A wine? Well, _that_ perked up Killian's interest. He retrieved the tossed menu, giving it a scan with inquisitive blue eyes - he had never ordered from room service before. How modern and _fancy_. But he could certainly pick out wine; that was a skill he was particularly talented at. "Cabernet," he decided on, sliding the menu back toward Emma and making a face at her remark about how he was worse than a girl. "Goes nicely with red meat. It's like a match made in heaven." Specifically, filet mignon, though Hook thought that Emma herself made a nice pairing with white wine. _Delicious_.

"I am not _needy_, I just like being close to you," he added, pouting in a teasing manner. He liked devouring her, more like, but that was what he meant by _close to you_. Really.

Under penalty of death, he'd admit he liked cuddling. Maybe.

"Is that your way of saying you also want to order a steak?" Emma asked, making a mental note of the wine he wanted for when she had to call in the order. The sooner the better in her opinion. The sooner they ate, the sooner they could move on to other more fun activities.

She turned to move closer to him on the bed, leaning down to kiss him once. "Is this close enough?" Another kiss. "Or this?" Her body was now pressed to the side of his, her hand slipping under his shirt and resting on his stomach. Emma knew she was teasing him and that she was going to stop in a matter of moments so she could call for room service, but it was his fault for looking so damn good laying there on the bed.

"Yes, of course. I always crave meat." Perhaps that sounded a bit dirty, but he didn't mean it in _that_ way, but Emma had to have been used to that sort of thing by now. "Steak it is," he flashed her a grin and rolled over while she was latched to his side, trapping her under him as he kiss-attacked the naughty blonde lass. "I've got quite a piece of meat for you in my trousers too, darling..."

Oh, ho, ho. Well, _that_ she already knew. Pressing another kiss to her mouth, a breathless Hook finally shifted off of her so she could do what she needed to do to get sustenance. They both needed to eat before working off all of the calories consumed.

Emma knew she really should have saw Hook getting her on her back coming, but she just let it happen. After all, he was kissing her, and that was never a bad thing. And she _really_ should have saw that next remark about meat coming as well, and that certainly elicited an eye roll from her. "Yeah, trust me, I know you do."

Once he was off of her and she could move again, Emma sat up and grabbed the phone, hitting the button for room service. She ordered the steaks and the wine _and_ chocolate covered strawberries because it was a little hard to resist doing so after seeing that on the menu.

"You know, the very _best_ red wine I've had was in Agrabah...the fruits are ripe red and black with a sort of a spicy finish. Might be a place to visit one day if you wanted."

"Agrabah? Like Aladdin and all that?" Was Aladdin real? She had no idea, and she'd never thought to ask if he actually existed or what he was really like. If anyone even knew. "I actually really liked that movie, especially the tiger." Hook may or may not have any idea what she was talking about, but oh well! "But like I said, I'd go anywhere with you," Emma told him, her tone of voice shifting a bit as she looked at him, letting him know she meant it.

The mention of _the tiger_ caused Killian to look at Emma incredulously - sort of how she had stared at him when he had whispered sweet nothings to the car during his driving lesson. He laughed a moment later but not _at_ her - just fondly, because she could be quite _precious_ sometimes.

"Shut up," Emma said playfully when he laughed.

"I suppose, though, I don't know any Aladdin," he said, continuing to lie on the bed. However, he kicked his boots off after loosening them, one after the other. "There is a Genie from Agrabah, however. And it's a very exotic land, filled with two-headed vipers and the terrain's a bit like...I suppose you'd know it as Persia. Or Arabia, whichever. As luck would have it, I'd go anywhere with you too, darling," he grinned over at her. "I wonder why that is."

At least there was actually a genie, though she had a feeling it was nothing like the blue character from the Disney movie. She supposed it would be quite interesting to actually go there. Weird...but interesting. Just like it was weird going to the Enchanted Forest and Neverland, but she hadn't had a choice in going to those realms.

She removed her boots as well before laying on her stomach on the bed beside Hook, her head propped up on one hand. "Sometimes I wonder why that is, too," Emma teased, a smile on her face. "But then I look at you with your shirt off, and I remember." She could have given him more meaningful reasons, but she didn't want to start down that road.

"Shall I take my shirt off now?" Killian asked, though he planned to leave himself clothed until it was time for the tub that was hot. He wouldn't give Emma the satisfaction of the view quite yet, especially if she liked it so much. It was fun to tease her. He leaned up to kiss the angle of her jaw, nuzzling there adorably.

"I wish, but we should probably wait until after we eat, or we won't be eating." She closed her eyes at the feel of his lips, not expecting what he was about to ask her.

"Emma, darling..."

That was a precursor to a question she probably wouldn't want to answer. But Hook had to ask anyway.

"Tell me why you asked me what you did in the car?" he whispered in her ear, then fell back on the pillow and watched her expectantly.

Emma had completely forgotten about her question in the car, and she'd hoped Hook would have forgotten about it, too. Apparently, he'd just been waiting for the right time to bring it up again.

She just stared at him for a moment, her mouth slightly parted like she wanted to say something but couldn't come up with the words. "You...why..." Emma sighed, wanting to bury her face in the pillow in front of her and stay like that until he gave up. "I told you already." Well, she hadn't _actually_ told him. More like she implied it when she said she hoped it would be enough for her to try and go with him sometimes.

"Why do we have to talk about it now?" It would honestly be better to just talk about it and get it over with because he wasn't going to stop asking if he knew something was bothering her, and it was quite obvious by the look on her face that it did bother her. Emma was just trying to deflect by asking questions instead of answering his.

He moved as close as he could possibly get, for warmth and body heat because it was always comforting to him - nowadays he slept so well, better than he had in centuries, when Emma was beside him or even in his arms - and let out a deep, exhale of breath. "Because I don't want you to hide it from me?" Killian responded, like she should have known. "And you think I didn't believe you, really?

That wasn't entirely it. There was something deeper there, but he just needed her to put it into words - since he couldn't exactly read her mind. As confusing as the female mind could be at times, he wasn't certain he even _wanted_ to.

"I don't know!" Somewhere deep down she knew he had believed her, but there was still that part of her that wouldn't let her completely accept it. That part of her kept screaming at her that this was too good to be true and that she needed to be ready for when it was over so she wouldn't be as hurt as she was the last time.

And then after a bit of silence, Emma finally started telling him the truth because there was no where she could go. He was so close to her, and she knew he deserved an answer, and she couldn't look away from those eyes. "I'm scared, okay? Is that what you want to hear?" Yes, Emma Swan was scared of love. "I tried so hard _not_ to love you, and it was impossible. I didn't want to love anyone because I have Henry, and he needs me, and I shouldn't be sitting in Granny's diner at two in the morning drinking because I don't want to think about the fact that you left, and I didn't think that I was enough for you to come back."

If Emma would have been giving herself time to think about what was coming out of her mouth, she would have stopped there, but she wasn't quite finished yet. "But you did, and I still don't understand why. Why do you love me? I'm nothing like Milah. And maybe you're just doing the same thing my parents think I'm doing. Because why would you really love me?" She was asking these questions like she was desperate for an answer, and she didn't even realize that she was basically accusing him of lying to her. That the ring on her finger meant nothing.

Emma wasn't crying, but her eyes certainly weren't entirely dry either as she somehow managed to maintain eye contact.

Oh, there it was. Emma's confession and Killian's guilt about even leaving her in the first place. "I'm sorry, darling," he sighed, and held her close, pressing his lips into her hair. "I never meant to hurt you. I hate the fact that I did, that you had to go through that while I was gone..." Of course he didn't expect her to fall head over heels in love with him right away and cling to the idea that he'd return when she had gone her whole life not being able to trust another soul. They were so alike, the two of them.

Her mention of Milah, however, had Killian pulling back slightly to look at her earnestly. His eyes burned, blue flames bright with sincerity. "I loved Milah," he started. "But she's gone and perhaps you're similar in a few ways - she wouldn't take any guff from me like you wouldn't - but you're different too, and that's how I want it. Because Milah was my past, but you're my present...you're my future. I love you because of who you are and what you did for me, how you're a reminder that I can still care about someone and I don't have to be alone."

He kissed her then, firmly, wanting to kiss away any potential tears that fell from moist eyes.

Emma hated making Hook feel guilty about leaving. Every time she did, she regretted it, but it didn't change the way she felt. It didn't change what happened or that it was going to happen again. They _were_ more alike than she'd ever wanted to admit, but it didn't have to be a bad thing. They both just wanted someone they could love and who loved them. Someone who proved they weren't meant to be alone.

She didn't get a chance to respond right away because he was suddenly kissing her, and she could do nothing but kiss him back, finally feeling like she could stop worrying and over-thinking everything. It had all been building up since that morning when her parents put those thoughts in her head, and now it was slowly flowing out of her as her lips meshed against his, her hand caressing the side of his face.

"Thank you," she whispered once they were both forced to breathe again, her forehead resting against his, eyes closed. Those two words encompassed a whole lot of things; she was thanking him for proving her wrong, proving everyone wrong, calming her down more than once, and most importantly, for loving her.

"I'll spend the rest of my existence proving to you how much I love you," he insisted quietly, nuzzling into Emma as she stroked his face. "Now that I've got you, I won't let you go." Killian meant it, too...well, he'd _have_ to let her go, when there was a knock on the door. And there it sounded! Time for the wine and not a moment too soon.

Reluctantly extricating himself from Emma on the bed, he went to answer the door and retrieve their alcohol - oh, and dinner too, he supposed. Bon appetit!

Emma didn't want him to let her go, figuratively or literally, but then there was a knock on the door, and it reminded her how hungry she was. Since Hook was the one to answer the door, she was glad she'd made him change before they left. She couldn't even imagine what the guy who brought their food up would go back and tell everyone if a man dressed as a pirate came to the door.


End file.
